National

Fears grow for preschooler missing on remote property

By AAP Newswire

Sep 30, 2025

police and SES workers searching for a missing 4-year-old boy — The extensive search has involved SES volunteers on trailbikes, ATVs, dogs and a drone. -PR IMAGE

A desperate search for a missing preschooler has entered its fourth day after the boy vanished while playing in sand on a remote sheep property.

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Four-year-old August, known as Gus, disappeared from his family's sheep property in the remote South Australian mid-north on Saturday afternoon.

Despite frantic efforts, his family found no trace and called emergency crews to widen the search around their property near Yunta, about 300km north of Adelaide.

Yorke Mid North Police called in PolAir and infra-red cameras, but they were unable to find the boy.

Extensive ground searches involving SES volunteers on trailbikes, ATVs, dogs and a drone have been carried out, while police divers and mounted officers have also been involved.

Aerial searches continued throughout the night and into Tuesday, when ground operations began again.

While fears are escalating for the safety of the missing boy, police do not believe his disappearance is suspicious.

"There's no suggestion of that," Superintendent Mark Syrus said on Monday.

"The road here, it's not a public thoroughfare. The only people who would travel on this road are station owners or people servicing those areas.

"This poor lad is just four years old and very close to the family."

Searchers continued to cling to hope that Gus will be found alive despite daily maximum temperatures reaching 30C.

"It would be uncomfortable for him ... every moment that ticks away, we are concerned that we haven't found him, but still very optimistic," Supt Syrus said.

Gus has long, blond, curly hair. He was wearing a grey sun hat, a cobalt blue T-shirt with a yellow minion on the front, light grey long pants and boots.