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

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  • #2,401
Total_C said:
For anyone following along who is not familiar with Australian firearm culture and law, this idea floating around that it is somehow normal or acceptable to bring out a firearm because someone may be trespassing really is not how it works here.

Australia does not treat guns the way some other countries do. They are tightly controlled and expected to be handled calmly, securely and only for very specific authorised reasons. We do not have a mindset where property owners reach for a firearm simply because someone is on their land. That is not our culture and it is not how the system operates.

I will give a personal example. Years ago in NSW, I knew someone who fired a gun to stop a neighbour’s dog that was chasing his horse. He assumed it was a rural setting and he was protecting livestock, but it was technically considered a populated area. Police did not shrug it off. He ended up losing his firearms. That is how seriously this country treats firearm use.

So when I see posts implying it is fine to grab a gun in a heated moment because of a possible trespass, I think that needs to be challenged. Firearms here are not tools for emotional situations or to make a point. They are not props and they definitely are not meant to be introduced into tense interactions.

Whatever someone’s view is of a reporter turning up uninvited, normalising the idea that introducing a firearm into that scenario is somehow acceptable is dangerous thinking and completely out of step with Australian expectations around gun safety and responsibility.
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They did not "grab a gun"
Deputy Police Commissioner Linda Williams said on Friday that Ms Murray was using the gun to “dispatch a snake” and had no threatening intentions, and labelled the Daily Mail’s actions as “disgraceful”.
IMO, the Journalist was Trespassing. Repeated warnings had been given to the Media not to enter the property.

“My understanding is two members from the Daily Mail organisation, despite numerous warnings over numerous days and weeks … have gone on to private property,” she said.
“As they’ve entered near the property, one of the persons at the homestead was outside on the porch using a shotgun to dispatch a snake that was obviously on their porch and they’ve then approached by this person.
“There was no intent for the person having that firearm at that time to be threatening.”
Journalist Trespassing
 
  • #2,402
Andreee said:
Does anyone happen to know if the two smaller water dams right next to the one that was drained have been checked out thoroughly previously? Perhaps they were so shallow they didn't need draining in addition? Please does anyone know? Thanks in advance.
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I think they searched two dams yesterday. They apparently drained the large dam into the southern dam. And then also searched the holding dam - maybe when they transferred the water back into the large dam they drained the holding dam?

And there are certainly photos of police wading - side by side - through a shallower dam(s?) in the first searches.


The operation to drain the main dam into the southern dam commenced at 9.15am on Friday.

Experts pumped water out of the dam at approximately 15,000 litres per minute, with a total of 3.2 million litres of water eventually removed.

Police divers searched the dam and the holding dam, including clearing of weed beds, however, there was nothing of significance found.

7news.com.au

Mystery deepens in search for missing outback boy as cops finish draining dam

Specialised police and trackers have been looking for Gus Lamont since September 27.
7news.com.au 7news.com.au
 
  • #2,403
wallyworld said:
Deputy Police Commissioner Linda Williams said on Friday that Ms Murray was using the gun to “dispatch a snake” and had no threatening intentions, and labelled the Daily Mail’s actions as “disgraceful”.
My understanding is two members from the Daily Mail organisation, despite numerous warnings over numerous days and weeks … have gone on to private property,” she said.

“As they’ve entered near the property, one of the persons at the homestead was outside on the porch using a shotgun to dispatch a snake that was obviously on their porch and they’ve then approached by this person.

“There was no intent for the person having that firearm at that time to be threatening.”
Ms Williams warned the public to stay off private property.

“If this persists, then action will be taken, you will either be reported or arrested, this is completely disgraceful conduct,” she said.

Ms Williams said the actions of the homeowner had been assessed and no further action would be taken.

“The person had the gun for a legitimate purpose, they were dispatching a snake that was on their porch,” she said.

“I think that everyone would say that is completely okay to do what they were doing.”

She said the people who approached the home were unlawfully on the property.

“I’d say you need to look at the behaviour of the people who entered that property unlawfully.”
Click to expand...
What a nightmare this all is for this family, who a bit more than a month ago were just going about their lives….😭
 
  • #2,404
Lady-J said:
Well there we go that’s a perfectly plausible explanation and explains why no one saw anything and theres no evidence left behind. Surely there are some people familiar with that area and those roads/ tracks, locals usually know these things. Exploring the area you grow up in is common imo. My friends and I used to drive along bush tracks near our home town for something to do
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Yep there is definitely several tracks that could've been taken. I'm also of the opinion now after seeking some clarification on the 6 gates that the roads aren't as quiet as we have been told.

This information came from a short conversation with journalists Jonica Bray that has obviously driven on the road in the last couple of day's as I was curious why an abduction has virtually been discarded as a possibility. She replied with the below information.


To get to the property there are possibly six gates. However they are not all closed. But you also pass other properties on the way. Some of those properties have various workers on them. Some had maybe 7 or 8 vehicles on them. I do agree though that it is unlikely. But it is not impossible. I passed around 20 vehicles each time I was on the road that were not police or search and rescue- some moving and some stationary
 
  • #2,405
spiritualdreaming said:
Yep there is definitely several tracks that could've been taken. I'm also of the opinion now after seeking some clarification on the 6 gates that the roads aren't as quiet as we have been told.

This information came from a short conversation with journalists Jonica Bray that has obviously driven on the road in the last couple of day's as I was curious why an abduction has virtually been discarded as a possibility. She replied with the below information.


To get to the property there are possibly six gates. However they are not all closed. But you also pass other properties on the way. Some of those properties have various workers on them. Some had maybe 7 or 8 vehicles on them. I do agree though that it is unlikely. But it is not impossible. I passed around 20 vehicles each time I was on the road that were not police or search and rescue- some moving and some stationary
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It is possible that someone went unnoticed if they drove slowly on a hard track and didn’t create dust or much noise.
I’m sure police have interviewed everyone in the area but how many times has a suspect been dismissed and years later found to be responsible ?
 
  • #2,406
SouthAussie said:
I think they searched two dams yesterday. They apparently drained the large dam into the southern dam. And then also searched the holding dam - maybe when they transferred the water back into the large dam they drained the holding dam?

And there are certainly photos of police wading - side by side - through a shallower dam(s?) in the first searches.


The operation to drain the main dam into the southern dam commenced at 9.15am on Friday.

Experts pumped water out of the dam at approximately 15,000 litres per minute, with a total of 3.2 million litres of water eventually removed.

Police divers searched the dam and the holding dam, including clearing of weed beds, however, there was nothing of significance found.

7news.com.au

Mystery deepens in search for missing outback boy as cops finish draining dam

Specialised police and trackers have been looking for Gus Lamont since September 27.
7news.com.au 7news.com.au
Click to expand...
Thank you! It sounds like they have finally eliminated the water area from the investigation.
 
  • #2,407
Lady-J said:
It is possible that someone went unnoticed if they drove slowly on a hard track and didn’t create dust or much noise.
I’m sure police have interviewed everyone in the area but how many times has a suspect been dismissed and years later found to be responsible ?
Click to expand...
After viewing this short clip with several slow moving vehicles one after another you can clearly see that the dust would settle quiet quickly (within 30 mins). So if it was just 1 car on that day that had the opportunity to snatch and grab then I believe yeah dust may of not even been noticeable.

 
  • #2,408
Lady-J said:
It is possible that someone went unnoticed if they drove slowly on a hard track and didn’t create dust or much noise.
I’m sure police have interviewed everyone in the area but how many times has a suspect been dismissed and years later found to be responsible ?
Click to expand...
I sure wouldnt eliminate any of the neighbours and local workers from suspicion unless I had checked them out thoroughly if I was LE IMO.
 
  • #2,409
spiritualdreaming said:
After viewing this short clip with several slow moving vehicles one after another you can clearly see that the dust would settle quiet quickly (within 30 mins). So if it was just 1 car on that day that had the opportunity to snatch and grab then I believe yeah dust may of not even been noticeable.

Click to expand...
 
  • #2,410
spiritualdreaming said:
Looking around on maps there are definitely other rough tracks that could've been taken. Coming from Sturt Vale Road pass Oak Park Station driveway they could've continued on heading towards Grampus and then back onto the highway.
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Would you add that map please 🙏
 
  • #2,411
  • #2,412
spiritualdreaming said:
I just use Google Earth to look around the area and just follow the roads/tracks that can be seen.

Click to expand...
Ok thanks. I’ve followed Oak Park Road all the way to Yunta but not the opposite direction, shall do that now.

Gus would’ve been found by now if he had wandered.
He hasn’t drowned in the dam.
His family have been extensively interviewed. It’s unlikely all three of them are good actors. Josh would notice if Jess was covering something up .
It’s got to be an abduction doesn’t it?
 
  • #2,413
spiritualdreaming said:
I just use Google Earth to look around the area and just follow the roads/tracks that can be seen.



Also here is another video showing dust from vehicles and once again seems very minimal.

Click to expand...
I wonder about that other Dam No.1 east of the homestead, it is about a half hour walk from there. I would think LE would look there for Gus, but I also wonder how deep it is.
 
  • #2,414
  • #2,415
Personally I don't think the Daily Mail's focus (or issue) is with the gun at all. Same could be said of a few others. Get over it. A child is missing - that should be the main issue.
 
  • #2,416
Andreee said:
I wonder about that other Dam No.1 east of the homestead, it is about a half hour walk from there. I would think LE would look there for Gus, but I also wonder how deep it is.
Click to expand...
Do you mean Grampus Rock Dam about 5km due east, or Grampus West Dam about 2km north-east along Oak Park Road? Or another one?
 
  • #2,417
  • #2,418
Do outback people ever go swimming in the various dams?
 
  • #2,419
Lady-J said:
It is possible that someone went unnoticed if they drove slowly on a hard track and didn’t create dust or much noise.
I’m sure police have interviewed everyone in the area but how many times has a suspect been dismissed and years later found to be responsible ?
Click to expand...
What do they refer to as tracks? Is it meant for cars to drive on, in addition to the one or two actual roadways?
 
  • #2,420
Andreee said:
What do they refer to as tracks? Is it meant for cars to drive on, in addition to the one or two actual roadways?
Click to expand...
Tracks as in not a proper road just alternate routes that are used by farmers to drive or ride bikes around the properties to access different areas
 
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