Australia AUSTRALIA - 4YO AUGUST (GUS) Missing from rural family home in Outback, Yunta, South Australia, 27th Sept 2025

[Mauig’ma]

Dogs wouldn’t have barked if it’s a familiar vehicle.

I respectfully disagree. Our dogs bark at all our vehicles every time we pull in

 

[kurtneverdied]

We don't know if the dogs were at the homestead or with those attending to the sheep. We can't say for sure a vehicle would of been seen or heard either.

 

[nao]

Moo...we don't know if the dogs bark at all. Some breeds are guardy, some breeds everyone is their friend and some breeds are silent and don't bark. Also it is how their owners train them...moo

 

[Ellery84]

We don't know if the dogs were at the homestead or with those attending to the sheep. We can't say for sure a vehicle would have been seen or heard either.

The dogs might have been tending to sheep with Jess and Josie?

 

[zesszesszess]

That’s not necessarily true at all.

I respectfully disagree. Our dogs bark at all our vehicles every time we pull in

The DM specifically mentioned that the dogs present at the homestead didn't bark at all, when they were trespassing and the whole Josie shotgun incident happened. The reporter involved in that incident also mentioned this in an interview she did on the podcast 'The Trial: Australia'.

 

[BreakingNews]

The dogs might have been tending to sheep with Jess and Josie?

Working dogs would most likely have gone with Jess and Josie. But there is usually one or two old dogs that no longer work who are now 'house' dogs. Usually they will bark at everyone. Might be because they are alerting the owners or are just happy to see a car.

 

[essareem]

I respectfully disagree. Our dogs bark at all our vehicles every time we pull in

I have livestock guardian dogs and they viciously bark at anyone who even comes near the property boundary.

However, there have been quite a few times where I have heard noises, gone outside and seen strangers at the top gate, yet my dogs are just sprawled out sleeping on the ground. Of course, they then get up and run up to the gate to fulfill their duty

 

[essareem]

Moo...we don't know if the dogs bark at all. Some breeds are guardy, some breeds everyone is their friend and some breeds are silent and don't bark. Also it is how their owners train them...moo

That's a great point, even the same breed of dog can behave totally differently based on individual temperament and training as you mentioned.

 

[Greenestdays]

Kelpies tend to be very vocal.

 

[kiwi50]

Would people normally take working dogs, eg if they were going shopping in Yunta?

 

[Hercule Holmes]

Hypothetical scenarios here, but trying to keep them based on reasonable logic:


If someone was interested in inquiring about the prospect of work on the property, when would they likely turn up?

I would have thought the end of the working day would be logical - more likely someone there at the homestead. Would a Saturday or Sunday be more likely, given potential other commitments the person may have? Would choosing AFL Grand Final day make some sense, with the expectation that at least someone may have watched it and therefore be at the homestead (waiting until the game had finished, so as not to interrupt)?
Could such a person have already worked at the property in some other capacity, and have a knowledge of the dynamics? Josh not present, so maybe the need for some male assistance? Could be known to both Gus and the dogs? Could he have potentially parked at the gate, knowing it was only a 300 metre walk to the house?


What if such a person turning up, coincided with Gus having wandered down the driveway, even a short distance?

Would it make sense that Gus would walk on an established pathway/driveway, rather than wander aimlessly into the scrub? Could he have seen or heard a car pull up at the gate, and assumed it was mum and went to meet her?
Once the alarm went up, you would imagine the driveway would have been one of the first places of interest to search. That would have meant footprints everywhere, if the ground surface was receptive. That would make distinguishing individual footprints very difficult. Alternatively, the ground wasn't receptive to footprints, or the conditions meant that they were erased by the next morning.

Would tyre tracks leading up to the gate be distinguishable in the above scenario?

Who knows, but a number of other vehicles probably drove the same route before anyone had a chance to check.

If the person was carrying a phone, would it be detectable?

Probably, but to what extent? A mobile phone solved the Cleo Smith case relatively quickly, but only because she was present when the police first visited the owner of the phone. Russell Hill's mobile phone was the key to linking Greg Lynn to that crime, but it took over a year for the full diagnostic analysis to be completed. The police told no-one about the phone, including Russell's family.

It is still quite possible that Gus wandered beyond the search zone, but hearing nothing from police doesn't rule out a potential Greg Lynn-type situation. If there has been foul play, there is simply no advantage in police giving the offender a heads up.

 

[Ellery84]

Working dogs would most likely have gone with Jess and Josie. But there is usually one or two old dogs that no longer work who are now 'house' dogs. Usually they will bark at everyone. Might be because they are alerting the owners or are just happy to see a car.

In her podcast, reporter Karleigh said that she was greeted by 4 cattle dogs at the homestead one time that she visited, and that the dogs didn’t give her a hard time.

The Mystery of Gus Lamont

Podcast Episode · The Trial: Australia · 16/10/2025 · 22m

podcasts.apple.com

 

[BreakingNews]

Kelpies tend to be very vocal.

And they don't mind showing visitors their teeth

 

[Ellery84]

I have livestock guardian dogs and they viciously bark at anyone who even comes near the property boundary.

However, there have been quite a few times where I have heard noises, gone outside and seen strangers at the top gate, yet my dogs are just sprawled out sleeping on the ground. Of course, they then get up and run up to the gate to fulfill their duty

We have two dogs on our property, and when 1 is sleeping the other one seems to still be “on duty”. I think they take it in shifts!!

I feel like the Oak Park Murray family have a combo of Kelpie or Kelpie-X dogs and ACD (Australian Cattle Dogs).

IMO

 

[essareem]

We have two dogs on our property, and when 1 is sleeping the other one seems to still be “on duty”. I think they take it in shifts!!

I feel like the Oak Park Murray family have a combo of Kelpie or Kelpie-X dogs and ACD (Australian Cattle Dogs).

IMO

Mine used to be like that, but now the male dog (Dingus) got lazy and lets his sister do all the work.

But I have been very surprised at the times when they don't guard properly, because otherwise if there is a butterfly sitting on a gate somewhere two paddocks away, they'll let you know for sure!

 

[Marg944]

I have found that just about every pic of Josie Murray has the dogs in the pic as well. It seems that wherever Josie goes…. the fur babies go!

So perhaps the dogs were not at the property guarding little Gus when he disappeared?

Perhaps the dogs have been trained by their Master to stay with the Master? IMO

Gus Lamont's grandmother waves pump-action shotgun at reporter

Daily Mail went to speak to Josie Murray on Wednesday afternoon but after we offered our sympathies to the family, she waved a gun.

www.dailymail.co.uk

https://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/somebody-else-involved-experts-say-same-thing-about-missing-gus-lamont-case/news-story/f92184679794c58dd40c96cb673246ae

 

[Andreee]

dbm

 

[Lady-J]

DBM

So many possibilities;

1. Gus heard a car travelling on Oak Park Road and thought it was his mum , ran to greet her and was taken .

2. Someone arrived at the property unexpectedly , saw Gus and took him without being noticed.

3. Someone in the family punished Gus which led to an accidental death, and the family covered it up out of fear/force.

4. Gus wandered onto the road, was hit by a passing car and buried (covered up).

5.Gus wandered further than first thought and perished.

6. Gus drowned in another dam.

7. Gus fell in a hole and died.

 

[Marg944]

This image has always worried me. I posted it several weeks ago, and I also posted the link back then. Obviously old buildings are on the property. Gus could have tried to explore these ruins? IMO

1.7M views · 8K reactions | Major Crime detectives have returned to the country homestead where four-year-old Gus Lamont tragically disappeared. Despite police calling off the search, investigations are continuing. #7NEWS | 7NEWS Adelaide

Major Crime detectives have returned to the country homestead where four-year-old Gus Lamont tragically disappeared. Despite police calling off the search, investigations are continuing. #7NEWS

www.facebook.com

 

[BreakingNews]

So many possibilities;

1. Gus heard a car travelling on Oak Park Road and thought it was his mum , ran to greet her and was taken .

2. Someone arrived at the property unexpectedly , saw Gus and took him without being noticed.

3. Someone in the family punished Gus which led to an accidental death, and the family covered it up out of fear/force.

4. Gus wandered onto the road, was hit by a car and buried (covered up).

5.Gus wandered further than first thought and perished.

6. Gus drowned in another dam.

Gus fell in a hole and died. Another theory to add to your list.