Police Renew Search of Remote Mine Shafts Near Oak Park

South Australia Police began a renewed three day sweep on November 25, 2025 focusing on six uncovered unfenced mine shafts in remote terrain surrounding Oak Park Station. The shafts sat between 5.5 kilometres and 12 kilometres from the homestead where four year old Augustus Gus Lamont was last seen on September 27, 2025. Authorities said these particular shafts had not previously been searched, and that the inspection followed a series of earlier operations including ground and aerial searches, Australian Defence Force assistance, and a November 1 operation to drain a dam on the property.

The search formed part of Taskforce Horizons ongoing investigation. Police described their intent as a determination to explore "every avenue" to locate Gus and provide closure for his family. Officers explained that several of the mine shafts were shallow enough for visual inspection while others required specialist equipment and safety precautions. Officials framed the inspections as a means either to locate evidence or to eliminate those locations from further inquiry.

For the community of interest that follows missing persons work and rural search techniques, the operation underscored familiar practical and forensic challenges. Remote mine shafts are common features on older pastoral properties, and they present both concealment risks and logistical obstacles for search teams. The use of combined resources including aerial surveillance, dam drainage and specialist shaft inspection reflects the layered approach often required in complex rural investigations.

Regional outlets later reported that the mine shaft inspections were completed without locating evidence tied to Gus. Police said they may return to search additional areas if new information emerges. For hobbyists and volunteers who track or participate in search efforts, the case remains a reminder of the patience and persistence required when searching broad rural landscapes, and of the importance of methodically ruling out sites as investigators follow leads and refine search areas.