Outback Mystery Deepens as Police Expand Search for Missing Four-Year-Old
Australian authorities are facing mounting public anger after announcing a new search operation for missing four-year-old Gus Lamont, nearly two months after he vanished from his grandparents' remote homestead. South Australia Police revealed they will begin examining six uncovered mineshafts in the state's mid-north region, located between 5.5km and 12km from where Gus was last seen.
The announcement on Monday prompted immediate criticism from social media users, who questioned why police had only just become aware of the mineshafts' existence. "Police were not previously aware of the location of these sites," an official media release admitted, sparking fury among concerned citizens following the case.
Public Backlash and Investigation Timeline
The delayed mineshaft search comes eight weeks after Gus disappeared on September 27 from the Oak Park Station homestead. The young boy was last seen playing on a dirt mound by his grandmother Shannon Murray in the early evening. When she returned just thirty minutes later to call him inside, he had vanished without trace.
Social media reactions were swift and critical. One Facebook user described investigators as "Keystone cops," referencing the bungling police characters from 1920s slapstick films. Another demanded: "They're searching NOW? Who's in charge of this circus investigation?"
The public frustration stems from earlier revelations that local station owners had warned about the area being dotted with disused mineshafts and water wells as early as October 2 - just six days into the search operation.
The Hidden Dangers of the Outback Landscape
Local landowners have described how the rugged terrain contains numerous hidden hazards that could easily escape detection. One anonymous station owner, whose family has worked the land for generations, explained that many of these sinister holes aren't marked on any maps and remain virtually invisible until stumbled upon.
"Most have different-coloured material around them from being dug out, but some are flush with the ground and have overgrowth all around them," the local source revealed. "Some are easy to see, some definitely not."
The landowner shared photographic evidence of recently discovered mineshafts, demonstrating why they present such danger to wandering children. Many were originally used as water sources for livestock or by prospectors "chasing the gold dream" in earlier times.
Police have previously conducted extensive searches within a 5.5km radius of the homestead, including draining a large dam on October 31 which ruled out drowning concerns. The operation has involved Australian Defence Force personnel, helicopters with thermal imaging, SES volunteers, Indigenous trackers and local landholders.
Family Situation and Ongoing Investigation
Gus lived on the remote sheep station with his mother Jessica Murray, younger brother Ronnie, and his transgender grandparent Josie Murray. At the time of his disappearance, Gus's mother was reportedly with Josie searching for lost sheep approximately 10km from the homestead.
A family friend suggested Gus might have wandered off looking for his mother, noting that "it is very easy to get lost on a station that size." The friend described Gus as "a happy little boy, happy to do his own thing. But when you address him, he gets shy and hides."
Gus's father, Joshua Lamont, was living two hours away from the property when his son disappeared and reportedly only learned Gus was missing when police woke him hours after the disappearance. He has since moved to Adelaide, nearly 300km from the search area.
In a press statement, SA Police Deputy Commissioner Linda Williams defended the investigation, saying: "We are determined to explore every avenue in an effort to locate Gus Lamont and provide some closure for his family. These searches will either locate evidence or eliminate these locations from further investigation."
Despite one of the largest search operations in Australian history, no trace of the missing four-year-old has been found as the investigation prepares to enter its third month.
