Authorities in South Australia have ramped up efforts to find four-year-old Gus Lamont, who vanished from his grandparents’ remote property near Yunta on September 27.
The boy went missing while playing on a mound of dirt, sparking a frantic search that has gripped the local community.
A Chilling Possible Connection
Concerns have grown over a possible link to another disappearance in the area.
A 40-year-old man named Benjamin was reported missing a day earlier, on September 26, after being seen driving erratically along the Stuart Highway, south of Glendambo—roughly a two-hour drive from Gus’s home.
Benjamin was travelling in a blue 2006 Hyundai Getz with Western Australian plates, but few details about him—such as his surname, family, or why he was in the area—have been released.
His vehicle was later found abandoned in dense scrub about 10km off the highway at Wirraminna, coinciding with the day Gus disappeared.
Calls for Public Assistance
Police are appealing to anyone who travelled the Stuart Highway between Port Augusta and Glendambo on the afternoon of September 26 to come forward, particularly if they have dashcam footage.
Truck drivers had reported noticing Benjamin’s erratic driving that day.
The timing of the two disappearances has alarmed locals, raising questions about a potential connection.
Social media reactions have been critical of the initial scaling back of Gus’s search while Benjamin’s case received renewed focus, with many insisting the child should remain the priority.
Taskforce Horizon Takes the Lead
South Australia Police have now expanded the search for Gus, with Taskforce Horizon—a specialist team—dedicated solely to his disappearance.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens confirmed the intensified operation, emphasizing that every possibility is being explored.
Challenges on the Ground
The search has faced numerous obstacles, including extreme weather.
Temperatures soared past 34°C with winds reaching 50km/h, forcing authorities and an 80-strong army contingent to limit search efforts to the cooler hours of dawn through noon.
The remote dirt track leading to Gus’s grandparents’ home is becoming nearly impassable, with army vehicles getting bogged down in thick bulldust.
Search teams have also encountered several brown snakes in the saltbush plains, prompting safety warnings for media and volunteers.
Experts Call for Thorough Investigation
Former NSW homicide detective Gary Jubelin, who investigated the disappearance of William Tyrrell, stressed that police must consider all possibilities.
“Officers would be looking at whether Gus wandered off, got caught in an accident, or if there was any human intervention—or even wildlife involvement,” Jubelin said. “Minute details can be missed in areas like this.”
Social Media Rumours and Public Anxiety
Rumours online have added to public fear, including a viral but false image showing Gus allegedly being taken by a stranger.
Commissioner Stevens urged calm, saying there is currently “nothing to suggest foul play,” but assured that all avenues are being pursued to locate the boy and bring him safely home.
Tracking Experts Push for Focused Ground Searches
Tracker and former policeman Aaron Stuart, assisting in the investigation, emphasised the need for careful, methodical tracking on foot rather than vehicles
. “The answer is likely back on the property,” Stuart said. “Go back, rethink it, reinterview everybody, and take trackers back a week, not 30 minutes. Good tracking requires staying close to the ground.”
The search continues as police and volunteers face challenging conditions in the hope of locating Gus Lamont and bringing clarity to his family and the local community.