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

[Serononin]

Does anybody know if the location of the lone footprint was marked on a map? Ive tried looking but found nothing .

I've not seen any maps I don't think, or really any precise information about the location of the footprint

 

[SouthAussie]

Does anyone know if the actual property was searched by police & not just by the family? I'm not talking about the land or surrounding. I'm talking about the out buildings, house, sheds, etc? The actual structures.
A Small child could be easy to miss in so many out buildings/structures, kids can find the tiniest nook or cranny to hide in that could definitely be overlooked by even someone who's lived on the property for however many years.

Supt Syrus said: ..... We’ve scoured this whole property again, checking every building, underneath every bit of tin, just in case, [but] unfortunately nothing was located.”

Aboriginal tracker helping to find missing boy from single footprint

Australian police have tasked an Aboriginal tracker with helping to find a four-year-old boy missing in the Outback.

www.yahoo.com

 

[PezCandy]

Supt Syrus said: ..... We’ve scoured this whole property again, checking every building, underneath every bit of tin, just in case, [but] unfortunately nothing was located.”

Aboriginal tracker helping to find missing boy from single footprint

Australian police have tasked an Aboriginal tracker with helping to find a four-year-old boy missing in the Outback.

www.yahoo.com

Thank you! I did not see this one!

 

[Eloise]

Not about Gus specifically - but about how search teams can miss things.

Cops' embarrassing admission as search renewed for Belgian backpacker

Tasmania Police have made an embarrassing admission as they prepare to join the search for missing Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Tasmania Police have been left scrambling to rejoin the hunt for missing Belgian hiker Celine Cremer after a private search team uncovered her mobile phone in a section of rainforest authorities admit they had already 'extensively searched'.

The discovery, made within three hours of leading Australian private investigator Ken Gamble and his team starting their search, has reignited criticism police missed a critical piece of evidence that could have solved the mystery.

 

[Lady-J]

Not about Gus specifically - but about how search teams can miss things.

Cops' embarrassing admission as search renewed for Belgian backpacker

Tasmania Police have made an embarrassing admission as they prepare to join the search for missing Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Yes search teams do sometimes miss things, in this case it’s easy to see how Celine was missed as the bush is very dense and there are Tasmanian Devils there.

 

[Eloise]

Yes search teams do sometimes miss things, in this case it’s easy to see how Celine was missed as the bush is very dense and there are Tasmanian Devils there.

well its not her per se, its her phone.
Yes, its different geography. But its not just dirt, there is plenty of scrub for evidence to go missing in.

 

[Lonicera]

Did they search the surroundings with cadaver detection dogs? See what was found at Brookfield olice discover ‘human remains’ at Melbourne property amid probe into 2014 disappearance of toddler.Toddler's suspected remains found in Melbourne 14 years after disappearance

 

[kurtneverdied]

Hypothetically what if Jess and Josh broke up?Perhaps an angry and heartbroken Josh who was renovating a house for Jess, Gus and the younger one decided to take matters into his own hands. He is already quoted by a friend as saying it's dangerous for Gus at the homestead.
Family abduction is far more common than stranger abduction as family will go to desperate lengths and believe they need to "save" the person/child.
It explains just about everything regarding his avoiding the media, changing houses, living with at least one person who would protect him.
It also explains how Gus disappeared as Josh would of perhaps been able to know a routine or like I mentioned previously perhaps Shannon could of been on his side and helped him. Knowing Josie's attitude and the Jess's potential mental questions marks Shannon could have easily thought it was best Gus was off the property.
This theory actually makes sense and connects so well with the puzzle of information.
I almost feel crazy for suggesting it as I haven't seen anyone else who thinks this a valid scenario.
I mean it would be great as Gus would be alive.

Feel free to debate against this scenario. I am ever evolving my theories and open to change but don't have a go at me for putting it out there either...

 

[FromGermany1]

Is Jess actually ever demonstrably present, or is she always just off "tending to some sheep" or similar? I didn't see her except on one single old photo. She seems to be like a (ghost) .....

Btw, I think, life on the station as a sheep farmer and after a move life outside (hundreds of kilometers away) are incompatible. It's either one or the other. A change would mean a break with all established routines, you ever had half of your life. MOO

 

[TootsieFootsie]

The Brookfield search wasn't over a large area.
It was a backyard. The police were given information that a relative hadn't seen the toddler for many years.
The police were able, maybe with the relatives help to find the house the family had lived in.

It was not a huge property like the family property at Yunta with many out buildings, dams, shrubs, trees and growth etc that ran over thousands of hectares.

 

[Hexe]

Hypothetically what if Jess and Josh broke up?Perhaps an angry and heartbroken Josh who was renovating a house for Jess, Gus and the younger one decided to take matters into his own hands. He is already quoted by a friend as saying it's dangerous for Gus at the homestead.
Family abduction is far more common than stranger abduction as family will go to desperate lengths and believe they need to "save" the person/child.
It explains just about everything

It explains exactly nothing. Josh is a legal parent of Gus with full custodial rights. He would not have to take Gus in secret and hide him, commiting a crime by misinforming the police. He could take his son from that homestead perfectly legally.

 

[katydid23]

I think you might be making some assumptions about how snakes behave, including dangerous snakes such as brown snakes and dugites.

Moo people who are bitten by snakes are almost never attacked by them unprovoked. Bites usually happen on lower legs or ankles when a person accidentally steps on one or otherwise inadvertently makes contact with a snake that is laying low.. My understanding and experience is most snakes in Aust will either move away when they see, smell or hear a person approaching, or they will stay still and hidden if there isn't time ( from the snake's estimation) to move.

I have seen snakes in the wild only a handful times throughout my life despite extensive bushwalking, walking in marshy areas and walking through Sand dunes. On all but one occasion I only ever caught a glimpse of the snake from the corner of my eye as it either slithered away or remained still. I remember one time clearly as a child when I was going along a sandy dune path to a public beach and as I stepped over some dry brush on the path I saw a partially concealed snake lying very still beneath it. It didn't move and I hurried on my way!

I grew up until a tween on a 5 acre pristine bush block. We were allowed to play outside and had a great time. My parents loved us and were responsible parents, balancing our freedom to play and explore with basic instructions on what to do on the chance we ever saw a snake (I never did once on that property though I heard slithers in the bush sometimes as snakes and other critters fled on our approach).

My father told us to make noise and to stamp and watch our feet if we were romping through the bush because this scared snakes away. If we ever saw one, don't touch, back up and go another way.

Concerning the snake on Oak Park homestead porch, as a reptile a snake IMO will make its way to a porch to get some sun, more likely in September and October; but only if it senses no human (or dog) movement or presence there at the time. Jmo

Imo the incident could have easily happened like this: IIRC Ms. Bray claimed JM rounded a corner of the house with rifle in hand. Seems to me the snake had likely been on the opposite porch to the one where the surreptitious (upside down) and non-consented to footage was recorded. JM could have seen the snake sunning itself on the back porch, she gets the rifle, carrying the shells in hand. As she approaches the snake it would either have immediately slithered off the porch to seek cover, or if caught by surprise then Imo JM could have poked it while standing back with the barrel, causing snake to immediately slither off the porch. As an experienced bushy I really doubt she would have had intentions
to shoot at it on the porch itself though I guess it's possible. The rifle, even unloaded, acts as a safety guard against a snake which you are deliberately approaching. Jmo

Any number of scenarios would make sense from this point. E.g. JM may have lost sight of the snake if it made a quick get away (no need to load and shoot after all) or she may have clocked it hiding/freezing under a bush; at this point she could have heard voices (SM talking to someone ie Ms. Bray) and walked around the house to see what was what prior to loading the rifle. In that case, you can be pretty sure the snake would have been long gone by the time she returned. My point is, there's no reason to assume the rifle had to be loaded. And moo, no one needs to have made up a story about a snake Moo.

On you criticism of the grandparents' supervision as it specifically relates to snakes: I'm not sure it's warranted to be making assumptions that they were blase/ indifferent?? concerning Gus' safety! To me your post makes it sound like you believe the place was constantly teeming with aggressive, dangerous snakes. If so, that is highly unlikely to be the case IMO. Seems to me that sand pile is in shade, and it's not like a snake would be expected to approach and attack Gus as he played. Snakes will slither off as soon as they hear or smell a human approaching.

We also don't know if Gus had been given basic instructions on what to do if he saw a snake; also, on the day he went missing he was appropriately dressed in pants and boots. Given all that I think Gus was very likely quite safe from snakes playing in the sand 'like he usually did". (Per msm accounts of SAPOL updates).

*Moo spiders unlikely to be hanging in sand and like snakes will move away if they can. Redbacks hide in
dark corners not sand.

Thank you. I appreciate your explanation about snakes and their being less dangerous than what I thought I'd heard about outback snakes and spiders. I've always heard how dangerous they were, etc.

And it did make me wonder why a 4 yr old was alone for so long out in the yard. Maybe I am being over protective thinking he needed more supervision?

 

[RedHaus]

Hypothetically what if Jess and Josh broke up?Perhaps an angry and heartbroken Josh who was renovating a house for Jess, Gus and the younger one decided to take matters into his own hands. He is already quoted by a friend as saying it's dangerous for Gus at the homestead.
Family abduction is far more common than stranger abduction as family will go to desperate lengths and believe they need to "save" the person/child.
It explains just about everything regarding his avoiding the media, changing houses, living with at least one person who would protect him.
It also explains how Gus disappeared as Josh would of perhaps been able to know a routine or like I mentioned previously perhaps Shannon could of been on his side and helped him. Knowing Josie's attitude and the Jess's potential mental questions marks Shannon could have easily thought it was best Gus was off the property.
This theory actually makes sense and connects so well with the puzzle of information.
I almost feel crazy for suggesting it as I haven't seen anyone else who thinks this a valid scenario.
I mean it would be great as Gus would be alive.

Feel free to debate against this scenario. I am ever evolving my theories and open to change but don't have a go at me for putting it out there either...

Yes. Well, actually that was my first and still is my top theory as I've posted ^^^; that possibly Josh or an accomplice has taken Gus for his perceived protection.

I did not theorize further that Shannon might be involved; a new twist. It does fit the data, if she covered for Josh. But to do so against her own daughter?

Anyhow, when I posited that theory of Josh taking Gus, some OPs dismissed it because he'd left Ronnie behind. Why only 'save' one child and leave the other?

But I've now come to wonder if Ronnie is Josh's child. That might explain why Ronnie's still there and Gus is not, in this scenario.

IMO.
ET: fix punctuation

 

[RedHaus]

It explains exactly nothing. Josh is a legal parent of Gus with full custodial rights. He would not have to take Gus in secret and hide him, commiting a crime by misinforming the police. He could take his son from that homestead perfectly legally.

Doesn't that assume Jess and / or Josh have full custody of Gus? What if his Grandparents actually have custody? We have no facts in either situation, do we?

 

[Dotta]

Doesn't that assume Jess and / or Josh have full custody of Gus? What if his Grandparents actually have custody? We have no facts in either situation, do we?

But ...
Wasn't it reported that the whole family was to move to the house husband was decorating?
Gus was to start school soon.
The couple with kids were supposed to move.

JMO

(PS
Terrible update about Emile from French Alps )

 

[Hexe]

Doesn't that assume Jess and / or Josh have full custody of Gus? What if his Grandparents actually have custody? We have no facts in either situation, do we?

There was nothing reported to let us assume any of Gus's parents has their custodial rights limited or removed in any way.

 

[RedHaus]

Wasn't it reported that the whole family was to move to the house husband was decorating?
Gus was to start school soon.
The couple with kids were supposed to move.

There was nothing reported to let us assume any of Gus's parents has their custodial rights limited or removed in any way.

Fair points.

But perhaps I'm having an existential moment questioning if what the public has been told about this case via MSM reporting, is the truth. I wonder if we have any true facts. Maybe that explains my looking-glass logic on this point.

 

[Dotta]

Fair points.

But perhaps I'm having an existential moment questioning if what the public has been told about this case via MSM reporting, is the truth. I wonder if we have any true facts. Maybe that explains my looking-glass logic on this point.

Whatever the public knows is only
"via MSM reporting".

 

[kurtneverdied]

It explains exactly nothing. Josh is a legal parent of Gus with full custodial rights. He would not have to take Gus in secret and hide him, commiting a crime by misinforming the police. He could take his son from that homestead perfectly legally.

How do know for sure he has full rights? Even if so that doesn't cover the fact that his rights are 50% so he would in be "in a dangerous place" 50% of the time. Perhaps 50% too much.
Thanks for dismissing a theory that "explains nothing" when your argument is not even verified and I asked not to have a go at me for putting out a theory. Question it, sure, but not so blunt.