A 75-year-old has been charged with firearm offences as police return to Oak Park in Gus Lamont search

Detectives investigating the disappearance of Gus Lamont have charged a 75-year-old with firearm offences following a fresh search of Oak Park Station where the four-year-old vanished.

On Monday Task Force Horizon members returned to the outback South Australian sheep station to search for evidence related to the little boy’s disappearance.

“As a result of a previous search at Oak Park Station, Task Force Horizon detectives have today arrested a 75-year-old from Grampus and charged them with firearm offences,” South Australia Police said.

The 75-year-old, who was not named, has been bailed to appear in the Peterborough Magistrates Court on May 6.

Acting Officer in Charge of Major Crime Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Andrew Macrae said the charges were not related to Gus’s disappearance or a previous incident at Oak Park Station in October 2025 involving media attending the property.

This comes as investigators reveal they believe Gus Lamont may still have been on his grandparents’ remote sheep station when police arrived to search for him on the night he was reported missing.

The revelation — made at the end of SA Police’s bombshell press conference 11 days ago — has taken on renewed significance as detectives return to Oak Park Station this week in search of further evidence.

Major Crime’s officer in charge, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, confirmed police cannot rule out that Gus was still on the 60,000-hectare property when officers reached the homestead on the night of September 27.

“Possibly,” he said.

“Police were on scene quite quickly when they were advised that Gus was missing.

“Yes, there was some time in between, but it is possible.

“We’re still working on that (original) timeline.”

The timeline put forward is now under intense scrutiny.

“Members attached to Task Force Horizon conducting inquiries into the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont … have returned to Oak Park Station to continue searching for evidence,” SA Police said in a statement.

“It is anticipated that Task Force Horizon detectives will remain in the area for at least the next two days.

“An update on the search activities will be provided as they progress.”

The renewed activity marks the first significant on-ground search since police declared Gus’s disappearance a major crime on February 5 and publicly revealed that a suspect known to him had been identified.

No one has been charged over the little boy’s disappearance but police have now ruled out wandering and abduction and say the investigation centres on someone known to him.

Gus – whose full name is August – was allegedly last seen about 5pm on Saturday, September 27, playing in the sand outside the homestead at Oak Park Station, about 43 kilometres south of Yunta in South Australia’s remote mid-north.

Police said Gus’s grandmother Shannon, who was caring for him, went to call him inside for dinner at about 5.30pm and could not find him. Family members then began searching the property themselves.

About three hours later, at approximately 8.30pm, they contacted police.

Officers arrived at the station around 9.30pm and immediately launched a search, assisted by a helicopter using infrared technology. No trace of Gus was found.

The next day, September 28, the search intensified. Police deployed trail bikes, ATVs and a drone, covering a 2.5-kilometre radius from where Gus was last seen. SES volunteers assisted.

Mid North Superintendent Mark Syrus said police “anticipate that he’s wandered off and that’s where we are concentrating our search efforts”.

Authorities described Gus as having long blond curly hair and wearing a grey sun hat, a cobalt blue long-sleeve shirt with a yellow Minion on the front, light grey pants and boots.

On September 30, the family released a public statement through friend Bill Harbison, who said they were “devastated by the disappearance of our beloved Gus”.

“This has come as a shock to our family and friends, and we are struggling to comprehend what has happened,” he read from the statement.

“Gus’s absence is felt in all of us, and we miss him more than words can express.

“Our hearts are aching and we are holding onto hope that he will be found and returned to us safely.”

Mr Harbison said the family was “deeply distressed” but “incredibly grateful” for the search effort.

“At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we focus all our energy on supporting the search and working closely with the police,” he relayed.

On October 2 – six days after Gus disappeared – his photo was publicly released.

In the months since, the operation has become “the largest and most intensive Missing Person Search ever undertaken by SAPOL”.

More than 160 SAPOL members and 230 non-police personnel have been deployed, including SES, Australian Defence Force, an Indigenous tracker and volunteers.

Eight separate searches were conducted around the homestead and outbuildings. Three dams were searched twice, including being drained. Six mine shafts within a 10-kilometre radius were searched. Aerial searches covered hundreds of square kilometres using infrared and AI-assisted imagery.

Police say they have reviewed 380 Crime Stoppers reports, 38 emails from the public, two letters and numerous intelligence documents.

Despite the scale of the operation, no trace of Gus has been found.

“At this time, despite all of the combined search efforts, we have found no evidence, physical or otherwise, to suggest that Gus has merely wandered off from the home, from the Oak Park homestead,” Det-Supt Fielke said.

Police also examined the possibility Gus had been abducted.

Det-Supt Fielke described Oak Park Station as uniquely isolated.

“Oak Park Station is remote. It is 45 kilometres inland from the nearest main roadway, which is the Barrier Highway,” he said.

“Oak Park station doesn’t have a signpost or anything like that off a road that points you to Oak Park Station.

“There’s nothing obvious that would lead you to Oak Park Station unless you know where you’re going.”

The property can only be accessed by one of two 45-kilometre dirt roads requiring four-wheel drive vehicles. Police found no evidence of foreign vehicles, tracks or dust trails consistent with an outsider entering or leaving at the relevant time.

“There was no dust, no sighting of any vehicles at the time that Gus went missing,” Det-Supt Fielke said.

“So the opportunity for anybody to abduct Gus is extremely low.”

Investigators spoke to neighbours, workers and individuals who presented any potential risk profile. Det-Supt Fielke said all have been discounted.

“Through all of this effort, we have found no evidence to suggest that Gus was abducted from the property.”

With wandering and abduction ruled out, police focus has shifted.

On January 14 and 15, detectives executed a search warrant at the property and conducted a comprehensive forensic search of the homestead, seizing a vehicle, a motorcycle and electronic devices.

“All of these items are now subject to forensic testing,” Det-Supt Fielke said.

“I do want to stress, however, that Gus’ parents are not suspects in his disappearance.”

Task Force Horizon detectives will resume their search of Oak Park Station on Tuesday.