WHERE IS GUS?
Desperate hunt for little boy, 4, who vanished in Australian outback 6 days ago leaving behind a single footprint
Cops have utilised drones, dogs and divers as part of the urgent operation
A FOUR-year-old boy who went missing in the Australian outback has been pictured for the first time as the search enters its sixth day.
August “Gus” Lamont, disappeared from his grandparents’ remote property on Saturday, only leaving behind a single footprint.
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August ‘Gus’ Lamont, disappeared six days ago
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Police said he left behind a single footprint
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He was last seen wearing a blue shirt with a Minion from the Despicable Me film on
Police explained the rescue operation was now in the “recovery phase”, with authorities saying it was unrealistic for the boy to survive six days in the wilderness.
The boy was last seen at the homestead about 30km south of Yunta wearing a grey hat, a blue Despicable Me-branded shirt and light grey pants.
Hundreds of searchers have scoured the area, but so far picked up no sign of Gus aside from one footprint.
The singular clue was discovered about 500 metres from the property.
Local cops said: “It’s a very similar boot pattern to what Gus was wearing when he went missing.”
On Thursday, his worried-sick parents released a picture of Gus wearing a Peppa Pig shirt reading “My Mummy”.
Police have used specialist divers, infrared cameras, dogs and drones in the urgent hunt for Gus.
The terrain is harsh, littered with dense scrub and rocky outcrops.
A family friend of Gus made a statement on behalf of his parents.
Bill Harbison said: “This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened.
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“Gus’s absence is felt in all of us and we miss him more than words can express.”
He added: “Our hearts are aching, and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.
“At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police.”
Police do not currently believe Gus was taken – as the only people who travel on the nearby road are owners of a station.
They said Gus wandering off was “unusual” since he normally stays within the confines of the area.
Cops added: “We understand he’s a pretty quiet sort of lad but he is, as you know, a country lad and he’s pretty adventurous as well.
“But him moving out of the area is a little bit unusual.”
Police said the footprint was the “strongest lead we’ve had”.
But they emphasised that time was critical, noting the number of days Gus had been without food, water or shelter.
On Wednesday, the Australian Defence Force confirmed army support had been deployed to help the gruelling search effort.
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The search has entered its sixth dayCredit: SA Police
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Police have warned Gus may not be aliveCredit: SA Police
Hope Is Fading: The Heartbreaking Disappearance of Four-Year-Old August ‘Gus’ Lamont in Australia’s Remote Outback
In the vast, unforgiving expanse of South Australia’s mid-north outback, a tiny footprint in the red dust offered a fleeting glimmer of hope. But as days turned into a week, that solitary clue faded into the harsh reality of the desert, where search teams scoured endless scrubland for any sign of four-year-old August “Gus” Lamont. The adventurous preschooler vanished from his family’s remote sheep station near Yunta on September 27, 2025, sparking one of the largest missing persons operations in recent South Australian history. Now, with police scaling back efforts and transitioning to a recovery phase, the chilling announcement has left a nation holding its breath—and a family grappling with unimaginable grief.
Gus, described by his family as a shy yet adventurous child with an “angelic face,” was last seen playing in a mound of sand near his grandparents’ homestead around 5 p.m. on that fateful Saturday afternoon. The property, spanning approximately 60,000 hectares of arid bushland dotted with blue scrub, red dirt tracks, and hidden crevices, is isolated—about 40 kilometers south of Yunta and 300 kilometers north of Adelaide. His grandmother called him in for dinner just 30 minutes later, only to find the boy gone. What followed was a frantic initial search by family members, but as night fell and the outback’s dangers loomed—searing daytime temperatures, freezing nights, lack of water, and potential wildlife threats—authorities were alerted.
The search effort quickly escalated into a multi-agency operation, drawing in South Australia Police, State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, and community members. Ground teams on trail bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), horses, and foot patrolled the rugged terrain, while helicopters with infrared cameras scanned from above. Police divers checked nearby dams and water tanks, sniffer dogs sniffed for scents, and drones provided aerial oversight. A specialized Aboriginal tracker with local knowledge was brought in to interpret the landscape’s subtle signs. By mid-week, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) deployed nearly 50 personnel to bolster the ground search, turning the remote station into a hive of activity amid the desolation.
A breakthrough came on Tuesday night, September 30, when searchers discovered a small footprint about 500 meters from the homestead. The print matched the boot pattern of the footwear Gus was wearing—a blue long-sleeved shirt featuring a Minion from Despicable Me, light grey pants, a grey broad-brimmed hat, and sturdy boots. “It’s a very similar boot pattern to what Gus was wearing when he went missing,” said Yorke Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus. The find buoyed spirits, prompting intensified efforts around the area, including the involvement of the ADF and the tracker. For a moment, it seemed the trail might lead rescuers to the boy, who police believed could have wandered off, perhaps seeking shelter in a dry creek bed or under a bush.
Yet, as Superintendent Syrus cautioned, the footprint could have been left days earlier, even before Gus’s disappearance, given the boy’s familiarity with the property. No further traces—clothing, a hat, or additional prints—emerged despite exhaustive sweeps. “A four-year-old doesn’t disappear into thin air; he has to be somewhere,” Syrus emphasized, urging searchers to keep the “big picture” in mind. The outback’s challenges compounded the difficulty: winding sandy tracks hid potential hazards like sinkholes from mining or erosion, invisible to a child’s eye, and the vastness made comprehensive coverage nearly impossible.
As the search entered its sixth and seventh days, hope began to wane. Over 100 hours without food, water, or protection from the elements pushed survival odds to the brink, according to medical experts consulted by authorities. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens described the terrain as “challenging,” with “lots of places a small child might find themselves which would be hard for us to identify.” By Friday, October 3, Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Parrott delivered the devastating update: the intensive phase was being scaled back, handing operations to the Missing Persons Investigation Section. “It’s unlikely he survived,” Parrott admitted, though a “miracle” remained possible. The decision was based on survival time frames and the absence of any directional evidence. Phone lines, inundated with public tips—including unhelpful “opinions”—were redirected to focus on credible leads.
Throughout the ordeal, Gus’s family remained steadfast in their plea for privacy while expressing profound gratitude. Family friend Bill Harbison read a statement on their behalf: “This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened. 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.” They described Gus as a “good walker” who had never ventured far from the homestead before. In a poignant gesture, the family eventually released a photo of the curly-haired boy playing with Play-Doh in a Peppa Pig T-shirt emblazoned with “My Mummy,” humanizing the search and tugging at national heartstrings.
The community rallied in solidarity. Neighbors, long-time station residents, and even distant relatives like Fleur Tiver, whose family has lived alongside the Lamonts since the 1800s, joined the effort. Tiver slammed despicable online conspiracy theories suggesting foul play by loved ones, insisting, “The family would not have harmed this child even if the world was about to come to an end.” Police ruled out suspicious circumstances early, focusing on the likelihood of an accidental wandering in the remote area, far from highways or outsiders. As the search wound down, South Australians were urged to “leave a light on for Gus,” with porch lights glowing across homes in a symbolic show of support.
This tragedy underscores the perils of Australia’s outback, where children have vanished before—echoing cases like the miraculous rescue of four-year-old Cleo Smith in 2021 after 18 days, or other unresolved mysteries in remote wilderness. Survivalist Michael Atkinson, a former Alone Australia contestant, urged persistence, believing Gus could still be alive in a hidden spot. Yet, Parrott vowed, “We will not rest until we can find the answer to why Gus has gone missing and, hopefully, for the family, return him to them.” The operation, one of South Australia’s most intensive, involved hundreds and highlighted the “unwavering commitment” of responders, many of whom are parents themselves, feeling the “pain and heartache” deeply.
As the sun sets over the endless red horizon, the fading trail of tiny footprints serves as a somber reminder of nature’s indifference. For Gus’s family, the light of hope dims, but their love endures. The outback keeps its secrets, but the collective spirit of a nation prays for closure—and perhaps, against all odds, a miracle.
