Disappearance of Gus Lamont

Disappearance of Gus Lamont

Date	27 September 2025 (2025-09-27)
Duration	Missing for 4 months and 21 days
Location	Oak Park Station, Yunta, South Australia
Coordinates	32°50′S 139°36′E / 32.84°S 139.60°E / -32.84; 139.60
Outcome	Unsolved
Missing	Gus Lamont (aged 4 years)

August "Gus" Lamont (born c. 2021) is an Australian missing person, who at the age of 4 disappeared from his family's remote South Australian homestead, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Yunta, on the evening of 27 September 2025.^[1][2]

The case saw coverage both across Australia and internationally due to the unusual circumstances of the disappearance.^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]}

Gus was reportedly last seen outside by his grandmother around 5 pm on 27 September 2025, when she says she saw him playing on a mound of dirt. According to her, at 5:30pm she went outside to call him in, only to find him missing.^[8] The family told police they searched for three hours before calling police.^[8]

From 27 September 2025 to 31 October 2025, four searches were launched.

Wikinews has related news:

• Taskforce launched as search for Gus Lamont expands in South Australia's north

During the first investigation, a large-scale search effort was undertaken in the days following his disappearance, which lasted 10 days, but yielded no tangible pieces of evidence, such as footprints or clothing. The search was subsequently scaled back from 7 October 2025.^[2] Multiple footprints were found, however none were determined to be connected to Gus' disappearance.^[2][9] The police search leveraged the South Australian State Emergency Service (SES), drones and helicopters using infrared technology, and Aboriginal trackers.^[8] The search also included 48 members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), as well as trailbike and ATV teams, and a large number of community and family members.^[1] The South Australian Police (SAPOL) described it as "one of [their] largest, most intensive and most protracted searches ever undertaken".^[8] Once the search was scaled back, the case was transferred to the Missing Persons Investigation Section of SAPOL.^[8]

A second search was launched from 14 October 2025, focusing on the property and the surrounding 5–6 kilometres (3.1–3.7 mi) radius of Oak Park Station. Over 80 personnel, including 18 SAPOL officers, 82 ADF personnel, and 7 SES volunteers participated in the renewed search. Thirty-three vehicles, a drone, and two utility terrain vehicles were used during the search. Despite the thorough coverage, no sign or belongings of Lamont was found.^[10]

A third search was launched, involving the inspection of a dam located 600 metres (660 yd) from where he was last seen. Spanning 2 days beginning on 30 October 2025, the South Australian Police drained 3.2 million litres of water from the dam. It was then inspected by divers and aerial scans for heat signatures or anomalies were conducted, but no trace of Lamont was found.^[11]

On 24 November 2025, the police launched a fourth renewed search targeting six previously unsearched "uncovered and unfenced" mine shafts on the property and surrounding area.^[12] Drones with thermal imaging were used to map and identify shafts before physical inspection. A day later, the search of the six mine shafts began, involving specialised teams and equipment. The shafts were located 5.5–12 kilometres (3.4–7.5 mi) from the homestead, and some were shallow enough for visual inspection while the deeper shafts were up to 20 metres (66 ft).^[13] On 26 November, the search was concluded, having found an insufficient amount of evidence.^[14]

On 5 February 2026, SAPOL declared the disappearance a major crime, with a resident of the sheep station known to Lamont identified as a suspect. Police ruled out Lamont’s parents as suspects, and said the timeline of events given by the suspect was inconsistent with the timelines given by others.^[15]

• List of people who disappeared mysteriously (2000–present)