South Australian police have returned to Oak Park Station, the remote sheep station where four-year-old Gus Lamont vanished in September, as part of an intensified search for evidence. The two-day operation by taskforce Horizon detectives follows the identification of a suspect in the case.
Gus, whose full name is August, went missing on 27 September 2025 from the property near Yunta, sparking one of the largest search efforts in the state’s history. Police initially believed he had wandered off, but after survival experts advised that hope of finding him alive had dwindled, the search became a recovery operation.
On Monday, police confirmed they had arrested a 75-year-old from Grampus on unrelated firearm offences. The charges stem from a previous search at Oak Park Station but are not linked to Gus’s disappearance or an earlier incident involving the media. The individual has been bailed to appear at Peterborough Magistrates Court in May.
Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, head of major crime, said the case was reclassified as a major crime on 5 February after inconsistencies emerged in accounts from family members. A person residing at the station withdrew cooperation and is now considered a suspect, though Fielke stressed that neither parent is implicated. Police have seized a vehicle, motorbike and electronic devices.
Gus’s grandmothers released a statement through lawyers, expressing devastation at the development and affirming the family’s full cooperation. Police continue to appeal for information, urging anyone with details to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
