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

[Itz_CrimsonYT]

Saturday, September 27​

“Gus was last seen playing in a mound of dirt with a little shovel in his hand at the front of the homestead on the remote station about 5pm, according to police.

When his grandmother went to check on him, he was nowhere to be seen.”

What we know about search for missing boy on sheep station

Authorities are searching for a missing four-year-old boy on a sheep grazing station in the mid-north of South Australia. Here's what we know about the search so far.

www.abc.net.au

"At the front of the homestead?"

Wouldn't that mean he'd be close to the street?


Plus, if he is 4 years old, wouldn't it be common knowledge for the family to be constantly surveilling him to make sure he doesn't run off?

 

[Hexe]

"At the front of the homestead?"

Wouldn't that mean he'd be close to the street?

There is no street nearby, AFAIK. The homestead is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by private land.

Plus, if he is 4 years old, wouldn't it be common knowledge for the family to be constantly surveilling him to make sure he doesn't run off?

Especially that the homestead doesn't seem to have any fence.

 

[TMich6811]

Do we know how long he wasn’t supervised?

 

[Itz_CrimsonYT]

There is no street nearby, AFAIK. The homestead is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by private land.



Especially that the homestead doesn't seem to have any fence.

So unless it was someone in the family, or someone who had access to the land, it can't be a kidnapping...

According to AI Overview. "Four-year-olds may wander from home to explore, to reach a desired location or item, or to escape a stressful situation like loud noises or demands at school."
While AI Overview isn't always correct. I suspect that the child must've had a reason to leave home...

For example, if it was a kidnapping, some random guy in the bushes offering free candy or something...

I'd say the most likely reasons would be to explore or to escape a stressful situation, with the latter only possible if the family has had fights in recent days.

 

[Lucy6226]

So unless it was someone in the family, or someone who had access to the land, it can't be a kidnapping...

According to AI Overview. "Four-year-olds may wander from home to explore, to reach a desired location or item, or to escape a stressful situation like loud noises or demands at school."
While AI Overview isn't always correct. I suspect that the child must've had a reason to leave home...

For example, if it was a kidnapping, some random guy in the bushes offering free candy or something...

I'd say the most likely reasons would be to explore or to escape a stressful situation, with the latter only possible if the family has had fights in recent days.

Children can take things literally too. An adult shouting 'get out of my sight'. Realising they can be seen everywhere a child might wander off where can't be seen. Although young kids tend to think if they can't see you, then you can see them and will just cover their eyes

 

[tedtink]

Do we know how long he wasn’t supervised?

Saturday, September 27​

Gus was last seen playing in a mound of dirt with a little shovel in his hand at the front of the homestead on the remote station about 5pm, according to police.

When his grandmother went to check on him, he was nowhere to be seen.

Police said the family searched for about three hours before alerting police, who arrived about 9:30pm that night.

What we know about search for missing boy on sheep station

Authorities are searching for a missing four-year-old boy on a sheep grazing station in the mid-north of South Australia. Here's what we know about the search so far.

www.abc.net.au

 

[tedtink]

According to time and date - the sun set at 18.11 on Saturday 27 Sept (Yunta)
He was last seen at 5pm, so it's possible that G'ma went out to bring him in because the sun was going down IMO.

Just my opinion.

Sunrise and sunset times in Yunta, September 2025

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Yunta – South Australia – Australia for September 2025. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones taken in account.

www.timeanddate.com

 

[Megnut]

Did he leave the shovel behind?

 

[Itz_CrimsonYT]

Do we know who was at the house that day besides the grandmother?

 

[LittleSeaTree]

a footprint ... just one
little buddy, where are you?
lead them to you, Gus Gus

‘Gus Gus’

 

[musicaljoke]

So unless it was someone in the family, or someone who had access to the land, it can't be a kidnapping...

According to AI Overview. "Four-year-olds may wander from home to explore, to reach a desired location or item, or to escape a stressful situation like loud noises or demands at school."
While AI Overview isn't always correct. I suspect that the child must've had a reason to leave home...

For example, if it was a kidnapping, some random guy in the bushes offering free candy or something...

I'd say the most likely reasons would be to explore or to escape a stressful situation, with the latter only possible if the family has had fights in recent days.

There would be no one hiding in the bushes. Not at this place.

It seems fairly common that little kids go missing when the grandparents are watching them. Perhaps grandparents are less attentive, or perhaps kids know that they won't get in trouble for doing naughty things like going too far from home when gramma is watching them.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

There would be no one hiding in the bushes. Not at this place.

It seems fairly common that little kids go missing when the grandparents are watching them. Perhaps grandparents are less attentive, or perhaps kids know that they won't get in trouble for doing naughty things like going too far from home when gramma is watching them.

It depends on the age of the grandparents, but there comes an age when they may start to develop cognitive issues such as dementia. The early stages will probably be almost unnoticeable but may be enough to make them less able to look after an active and curious child.

I haven't read all the sources for the case, but has there been any suggestion that Gus may be cognitively disabled or ND in some way? It seems to me strange that in an open and largely silent landscape he did not hear searchers calling him and return. It's possible that he was injured and unable to respond or that he managed to wander beyond hailing distance, but if he was cognitively disabled or ND he could have hunkered down or hidden somewhere and become trapped. From what I've seen, the homestead/station has a very small population so he should know everyone who would have gone out searching for him, at least in the early stages, and not therefore hidden from someone he didn't know.

 

[Mauig’ma]

Did he leave the shovel behind?

I also wondered where the shovel ended up. I wish a reporter would ask le to verify. Where are you lil guy? God speed & let him be found

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1973492849313214604

 

[tedtink]

'They just don't disappear into thin air': Police release first image of missing boy

Police have released the first image of Gus since his disappearance, with almost 50 members of the Australian Defence Force joining the search for the four-year-old in mid-north South Australia.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SouthAussie]

It's possible that he was injured and unable to respond .....

Yes, this is possible. It is Spring here and the outback creatures will be mating and thriving. Some of them can be deadly to a little one ... like the redback spider or the brown snake. We are taught to stay away from them, but he is only 4 years old.

I have not read about Gus having any cognitive issues and I am reading much of the South Australian news about him. It sounds as if he is a normal 4-year old, with the addition that he is an outback sheep-station child.

imo

 

[Mauig’ma]

Yes, this is possible. It is Spring here and the outback creatures will be mating and thriving. Some of them can be deadly to a little one ... like the redback spider or the brown snake. We are taught to stay away from them, but he is only 4 years old.

I have not read about Gus having any cognitive issues and I am reading much of the South Australian news about him. It sounds as if he is a normal 4-year old, with the addition that he is an outback sheep-station child.

imo

Omg I didn’t even think about the deadly snakes. Ten to one that’s probably what happened. The other animals probably scattered his remains. Idk just a thought

 

[Marg944]

I read that he is a quiet 4 year old.


“'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.'”

Search for young boy who wandered off on outback station continues

Police searching for missing boy Gus have uncovered a major clue three days after he disappeared on his family's sprawling sheep station without a trace.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[jypsijemini]

South Australian Police (SAPOL) Update: Oct 2, 7:30am​

ADF to assist in search for missing boy Gus​

02 Oct 2025 7:30am

Members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will join today's search for missing four-year-old August 'Gus' in the state's mid north.

Gus was last seen at his family’s remote homestead, approximately 40 kilometres south of Yunta, at around 5pm on Saturday, 27 September.

Gus is described as Caucasian, with long blond curly hair. He was last seen wearing a grey sun hat, a cobalt blue t-shirt featuring a yellow ‘Minion’ character, light grey long pants, and boots.

Yorke Mid North police are leading the search and being supported by specialist resources including STAR Group, Water and Mounted Operations Units, PolAir, and Dog Operations.

The search effort has also been bolstered by police cadets, SES volunteers, trailbike and ATV teams, drones, a traditional Aboriginal tracker, and a large number of dedicated community and family members.

A contingent of 48 personnel from the Australian Defence Force will commence their deployment to the search area at 8am this morning and are anticipated to assist police with ground searches over the coming days.

 

[essareem]

It depends on the age of the grandparents, but there comes an age when they may start to develop cognitive issues such as dementia. The early stages will probably be almost unnoticeable but may be enough to make them less able to look after an active and curious child.

I haven't read all the sources for the case, but has there been any suggestion that Gus may be cognitively disabled or ND in some way? It seems to me strange that in an open and largely silent landscape he did not hear searchers calling him and return. It's possible that he was injured and unable to respond or that he managed to wander beyond hailing distance, but if he was cognitively disabled or ND he could have hunkered down or hidden somewhere and become trapped. From what I've seen, the homestead/station has a very small population so he should know everyone who would have gone out searching for him, at least in the early stages, and not therefore hidden from someone he didn't know.

Agreed, that's the first thing I thought - it's possible dementia played a role. Sufferers in the early stages are usually quite aware of their cognitive decline. Just so sad for everyone involved.