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

[HoneyBunOne]

In some ways this case makes me think of Lilly and Jack Sullivan. One footprint found, absolutely no trace of the kids or any actual signs/evidence that they wandered off.

It does, but I have very different thoughts on that case, and I haven't even kept up with what's been going on with them. Regardless, that's 3 little kids who should be healthy, happy and at home with loved ones.

 

[Toowong(s)]

Did Gus leave his shovel at the sand pile.
Does a helicopter with thermal imaging pick up everything producing heat, ie sheep or other animals? I’m curious to know exactly what the helicopter saw.

Good question kiwi50 - anyone know how the thermal imaging helicopter in the night would distinguish between all the sheep on the sheep station, and a kid about the size of a sheep?

 

[Total_C]

Good question kiwi50 - anyone know how the thermal imaging helicopter in the night would distinguish between all the sheep on the sheep station, and a kid about the size of a sheep?

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This video shows the cameras in action. Not from this search. But it does have a handler and a K9 unit in the video. Shows it pretty clearly

 

[pukasonqo2]

Reminds me of William Tyrell, circumstances are similar but I hope for a better outcome

 

[Ellery84]

If there’s no trace of Gus - no footprints, no heat, no scent, no clothing and no signs of foul play - he’s most probably underground, or underneath something and close to home. Maybe it’s a spot that’s simply been missed, something you can’t see with the eye or with the methods they’ve used so far. I now don’t think it’s anything more than a terribly tragic accident. It’s just heartbreaking, and I really feel for his poor family.

Or he's been taken away from the house in a vehicle.

 

[FromGermany1]

Good question kiwi50 - anyone know how the thermal imaging helicopter in the night would distinguish between all the sheep on the sheep station, and a kid about the size of a sheep?

Feature detection: Algorithms scan the image for specific features that are typical of humans, such as the shape of the head, shoulders, and limbs. These features are then compared with stored patterns to determine whether the detected object is a person.

Motion analysis: People move differently than animals. AI algorithms analyze the way objects move to distinguish between human movements (e.g., walking or running) and animal movements (e.g., crawling or jumping).

Google translation

Können Überwachungskameras zwischen Personen und Tieren unterscheiden?

Eine der faszinierendsten Funktionen dieser modernen Geräte ist ihre Fähigkeit, zwischen Personen und Tieren zu unterscheiden. Doch wie genau funktioniert diese Unterscheidung? Lassen Sie uns einen Blick darauf werfen.

weberprotect.com

 

[Dotta]

Or he's been taken away from the house in a vehicle.

Are there any CCTVs on the property?



Can anybody just drive & take a child?
I read there are 6 gates or something to reach the house.
(Each gate is somehow monitored I presume)

PS
I guess,
anybody leaving the property by car within this time frame,
was surely checked by Police, no?
Plus the vehicle examined for eventual traces.

JMO

 

[SarahSherlock]

Good question kiwi50 - anyone know how the thermal imaging helicopter in the night would distinguish between all the sheep on the sheep station, and a kid about the size of a sheep?

Yes we live on a large farm surrounded by Reserve Land, it’s is very easy to tell the difference between animals and ppl with thermal imaging. It is so precise can tell the difference between deer and cattle.
We had someone with dementia get lost near us, they had aboriginal trackers, dogs, thermal imaging and a lot of ppl searching for 10 days. They didn’t find him.
6 months later his body was found when putting up new fences. It showed me how useless a lot of searches are - shocked me to be honest.

 

[Rocket333]

Or he's been taken away from the house in a vehicle.

The property spans approximately 60 square kilometres or 6000 hectares. Police said there’s six gates to get to the property.

If taken away from the house in a vehicle, it’d most likely need to be a vehicle already on-site. They’d need to have knowledge of the gate system, the terrain, the long stretches of unsealed track. and avoid detection. Not an easy feat.

Police also said, there was “no suggestion of anything suspicious”.

 

[Dotta]

Yes we live on a large farm surrounded by Reserve Land, it’s is very easy to tell the difference between animals and ppl with thermal imaging. It is so precise can tell the difference between deer and cattle.
We had someone with dementia get lost near us, they had aboriginal trackers, dogs, thermal imaging and a lot of ppl searching for 10 days. They didn’t find him.
6 months later his body was found when putting up new fences. It showed me how useless a lot of searches are - shocked me to be honest.

I cannot count how many times I read about the searches which overlooked the missing people

They were later found by pure coincidence by passers-by,
not far from the places they were missing or seen last.
In the areas that had been previously searched.

JMO

 

[Rocket333]

But did they wait 3 hours to call? I have seen that LE arrived at 8.30 & 9.30 in msm. It would have taken quite awhile for them to get out there.

Found the 9.30pm police arrival article! I was starting to wonder if that time was fictitious.

Wonder what caused the delay given it was dark, unusual, and a child was missing. It’s possible the family believed Gus had simply wandered off and would return, or they were in shock and busy out searching. Being a remote station, they may have also been accustomed to handling things themselves and felt that calling police was premature or dramatic.

From a risk & containment standpoint though, that delay was critical.

 

[FromGermany1]

I just came upon a missing case: A woman disappeared end of June and was found END OF AUGUST in the crawl space of her own home, from where she disappeared!
(Kathryn Pipitone)

Impossible to imagine, IMO, but ....

 

[CredibleSauce]

You’re right, losing a child in a populated area is absolutely not the same as losing a child in the outback. A child lost in an isolated area is IMO at greater risk.

This comes down to factors such as:
- limited visibility
- delayed emergency response times
- environmental hazards
- terrain
- lack of resources

The unique challenges and risks associated with isolated areas suggests a missing child may be at greater risk (when compared to urban areas.) Its crucial these factors are considered and assessed promptly in the event of a missing persons.

Considering the time of day (17:30) and limited daylight, I feel it was crucial a report was filed MUCH sooner for Gus.

MOO

Why is it necessarily a greater risk?

- significantly less to nil chance of walking into traffic
- SIGNIFICANTLY to nil chance of meeting a stranger who wishes to do them harm

Good question kiwi50 - anyone know how the thermal imaging helicopter in the night would distinguish between all the sheep on the sheep station, and a kid about the size of a sheep?

Sheep will flee from the noise of a helicopter (or any vehicle really) they are regularly used to muster sheep in fact. Same goes for roos etc.
Sheep are generally a lot larger and heavier than a 4 year old too.

 

[Itz_CrimsonYT]

If taken away from the house in a vehicle, it’d most likely need to be a vehicle already on-site. They’d need to have knowledge of the gate system, the terrain, the long stretches of unsealed track. and avoid detection. Not an easy feat.

Not an easy feat...

Unless it was someone who has access to the property and knows the layout, such as a member of the family.

 

[packetgravy]

Fresh insight into outback SA search for missing boy Gus Lamont | 7NEWS​

Family friend says he is certain the little boy is not on the property and has ruled out bizarre theories like an eagle taking him.

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He is certain Gus is not on the property.

That is a fairly conclusive statement with a strong sense of finality. Entirely supported by his tracking experience and findings during the search (or lack of.)

Thoughts:

- I absolutely agree with his take on the kidnapping eagle thing but I do wish he had followed up with his own theory and supporting evidence.
- No sign of Gus on the property. I find this hard to believe if he lives there. Sir, is the property defined as both indoors and out? Is there evidence to support Gus’s recent occupancy within the residence?
- Please elaborate further on your absolute certainty he is not there. How do you suggest he left if not by foot? I assume there is then evidence of his departure? Or are suggesting he was never there?
- What options are we then left with if you are certain he is not there? Because I only see two options and I want to touch on them:
Option One: Gus was never there, which I find hard to believe if there is solid evidence against this.
Option Two: Human intervention (which may or may not include abduction.)
- Are there signs of a struggle? Anything to suggest an abduction? Tyre tracks that do not match those of the occupants? Would the lack of the aforementioned then suggest Gus went willingly?
- What can be heard from the main residence? Can a car enter the property unnoticed? If it was an abduction, would you agree the timing was rather impeccable? Gus being outside, Grandma inside and completely unaware.
- I’m curious to see how an abduction would look in this situation. Can you describe it to those of us unfamiliar with the premises? Keeping in mind the half hour timeframe and Grandmas movements within that period.
- Gus is described as shy, does this then create some doubt around the possibility of an abduction, especially as there was no evidence of a struggle?
- Would Gus’s shyness suggest he would only have gone willingly if it was someone familiar? I’m sure police have already confirmed the whereabouts of those known to him during that timeframe, effectively removing the probability of abduction.

Assuming we are then satisfied Gus was at the residence when his Grandmother said he was, along with the lack of evidence to support an abduction and your absolutely certainty he is not there, where does that then leave us? Aliens?

 

[SarahSherlock]

Sometimes it's hard for city folk to appreciate about the way of life for those living on enormous properties like this - they are very isolated, a LONG way from help, and as such are used to being self-sufficient in most situations.

The kid goes missing, well, he's only little and he can't have gone too far. We know he's on the property close by, we're just not sure where. We'd better go out and find him before it gets dark instead of waiting around for an hour or more for external help to arrive.

As it happens, they searched the property for three solid hours before admitting defeat and calling in help. I imagine they kept thinking they were sure to find him any at moment.

Agree, we live on a property and we are very self reliant. But this is what bothers me; when living on a rural, isolated property - you become more in tune and guarded with any out of the ordinary. You always have eyes and ears open up until bed time. I know where each of my dogs are 24x7 and where all the cattle and chickens are.
If the family have lived on the farm for years, they would be in tune with every part if it and fully aware of every slightly dangerous part of the property.
To the extent of knowing where every hole is, or every part of soft sand etc..it becomes instinctive…
With all that being said, they would have heard a car come near the property and they would have noticed their dogs becoming anxious when Gus was walking away.
There are wild animals which could have posed a threat - but there would have been something found.
Falling down a hole is probable too
Poor kid

 

[Itz_CrimsonYT]

He is certain Gus is not on the property.

That is a fairly conclusive statement with a strong sense of finality. Entirely supported by his tracking experience and findings during the search (or lack of.)

Thoughts:

- I absolutely agree with his take on the kidnapping eagle thing but I do wish he had followed up with his own theory and supporting evidence.
- No sign of Gus on the property. I find this hard to believe if he lives there. Sir, is the property defined as both indoors and out? Is there evidence to support Gus’s recent occupancy within the residence?
- Please elaborate further on your absolute certainty he is not there. How do you suggest he left if not by foot? I assume there is then evidence of his departure? Or are suggesting he was never there?
- What options are we then left with if you are certain he is not there? Because I only see two options and I want to touch on them:
Option One: Gus was never there, which I find hard to believe if there is solid evidence against this.
Option Two: Human intervention (which may or may not include abduction.)
- Are there signs of a struggle? Anything to suggest an abduction? Tire markings that do not match those of the occupants? Would the lack of the aforementioned then suggest Gus went willingly?
- What can be heard from the main residence? Can a car enter the property unnoticed? If it was an abduction, would you agree the timing was rather impeccable? Gus being outside, Grandma inside and completely unaware.
- I’m curious to see how an abduction would look in this situation. Can you describe it to those of us unfamiliar with the premises? Keeping in mind the half hour timeframe and Grandmas movements within that period.
- Gus is described as shy, does this then create some doubt around the possibility of an abduction, especially as there was no evidence of a struggle?
- Would Gus’s shyness suggest he would only have gone willingly if it was someone familiar? I’m sure police have already confirmed the whereabouts of those known to him during that timeframe, effectively removing the probability of abduction.

Assuming we are then satisfied Gus was at the residence when his Grandmother said he was, along with the lack of evidence to support an abduction and your absolutely certainty he is not there, where does that then leave us? Aliens?

This is why i'm hoping the police are running background checks on the family and everyone who has access to the property, as any one of them could know the lay of the land and/or have a possible motive to take Gus.

People don't just disappear like this, there's usually some piece of evidence laying around nearby.

 

[Dotta]

Falling down a hole is probable too
Poor kid

I'm thinking about animal burrow?
Is it possible there?

 

[sapphire blue]

I can't speak for all country properties, but my knowledge is this (I'm in Victoria, not South Australia):

- Mail deliveries are only once a day, Monday to Friday. (nearing Christmas there's Saturday mail too) Gus went missing on a Saturday.
-In some country areas, there are groups of mailboxes at a certain point, like a cross road, intersection etc where people further down the road or on smaller roads nearby come to collect their mail.
-Some places are too remote to have a regular delivery service. I believe they would generally collect their mail from a nearby town, whenever they come in for supplies. Based on my knowledge, I doubt this property had a regular mail delivery service.


The only cadaver dogs in Australia are in New South Wales and Queensland, not South Australia. That's not to say that SAPOL can't request use of the dogs, much like VicPol did in the ongoing case of SM.

This article gives an idea of what mail deliveries in the outback are like, some are once a week, other twice a week.

Publican-turned-postie a lifeline for outback stations and stranded tourists

Bruce Ross had moved to the green pastures and rolling hills of South Australia's wine country after running a remote pub on the Oodnadatta Track. But when a rare postie job became available, the open skies and red dirt of the outback called to him once again.

www.abc.net.au

 

[packetgravy]

Why is it necessarily a greater risk?

Risk factors were listed.

- significantly less to nil chance of walking into traffic

What does this have to do with missing children?

- SIGNIFICANTLY to nil chance of meeting a stranger who wishes to do them harm

In Australia, less than 1% of missing reports involve abduction. Based on available data, the chance of a child in being abducted by a stranger in any given year is estimated at <1 out 100,000. It’s statistically not one of the greater risks in terms of missing children or in your own words, the chances are less to nil..