An underground search of abandoned mine shafts has failed to find any trace of a four-year-old boy who vanished from his family’s Australian outback homestead.

Gus Lamont was last seen by his grandmother on September 27 playing on a mound of dirt outside a sprawling sheep station in South Australia’s Mid North.

His disappearance sparked intensive searches spanning almost 500sq km by hundreds of team members using aerial support and mounted units.

Search teams returned to the remote property yesterday, focusing on six mine shafts near the Oak Park Station area, 40km south of Yunta, using specialist officers.

The search of the uncovered and unfenced shafts located between 5.5km and 12km from the homestead was set to last up to three days.

But police said today it was complete after the mine shaft inspection did not find any trace of the child.

“The inspection of the mine shafts… did not locate any evidence to assist in the investigation into Gus’ disappearance,” a police statement said.

“Several of the shafts were relatively shallow and could be visually inspected but the remainder were up to 20m deep and specialised equipment was required to complete the searches.”

The area where the mine shafts were had not previously been searched, with authorities saying they were unaware they existed.

“The family of Gus have been advised of the results of the renewed searching and are being supported by a victim contact officer,” police said.

Police vowed to continue the search until every avenue had been explored and on Wednesday, did not rule out returning to the property as the investigation continued.

The mine search is the first since authorities drained a dam in late October, ruling out the possibility Gus had drowned.

It took police about three-and-a-half hours to drain 3.2 million litres of water from the 4.5m-deep dam, which is 600m from the homestead.

The initial 10-day air and ground search for Gus was one of the largest South Australia Police had undertaken.

A four-day search within a 5.5km radius of the homestead in early October also concluded without any evidence before authorities opted to drain the dam.

Aerial imaging within a 10km radius of the homestead had also been taken.

The family expressed their devastation over Gus’s disappearance in a September 30 statement.

“This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,” it said.

“Gus’s absence is felt in all of us, and we miss him more than words can express.

“Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.”

SOURCE: https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/11/26/mystery-deepens-after-no-trace-found-of-missing-australian-boy/