Major Update in Search for Missing Toddler
Police in South Australia have announced a significant new development in the desperate search for four-year-old Gus Lamont, who vanished from his grandparents' remote sheep station two months ago. The new operation will focus on searching several remote mine shafts located between 5.5km and 12km from the Oak Park property where he was last seen.
The Disappearance and Initial Search
Gus was last seen by his grandmother at approximately 5pm on Saturday, 27 September 2025. She reported seeing him playing on a mound of dirt outside the homestead in the isolated South Australian outback. His disappearance triggered an immediate and large-scale search effort involving police, soldiers, SES crews, divers, and local volunteers.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Linda Williams stated, "We are determined to explore every avenue in an effort to locate Gus Lamont and provide some closure for his family." She confirmed that this latest phase would either locate evidence or allow authorities to eliminate these locations from the investigation.
Community Fears and Previous Search Efforts
Concerns from local residents have consistently pointed to the danger of unmarked wells and mine shafts scattered across the region. One local told reporters, "That's the talk among locals. Most aren't on any maps... Some are easy to see, some definitely not." This insight underscores the perilous nature of the outback landscape.
Previous extensive searches have already been conducted. On October 31, police drained a large dam on the property, ruling out the possibility that Gus had drowned. Prior to that, ground searches covered 95 square kilometres on foot, with aerial and mounted patrols scanning an estimated 470 square kilometres.
The upcoming search of the six exposed mine shafts, which were not previously known to police or searched on foot, is expected to last up to three days and will utilise specialised equipment. Police continue to pursue multiple lines of inquiry, and the Lamont family is being supported by a victim contact officer during this harrowing time.
