Police looking for missing Australian boy Augustus "Gus" Lamont have ruled out a theory behind his disappearance after searching a body of water near to where he vanished.
The four-year-old boy went missing from his family's remote sheep station in South Australia on September 27.
He was last seen playing on a dirt mound at around 5pm at Oak Park Station homestead, situated roughly 300km north-east of Adelaide.
The missing boy's grandmother discovered his absence when she attempted to call him inside after around 30 minutes.
A search ensued involving hundreds of volunteers, police and military personnel, but the child has so far not been found.
South Australia Police announced at the start of the month it had scaled back its search "following medical experts advice that there was little hope for us to find Gus alive", later confirming it had become a "recovery operation".
On Thursday, the force released a statement to say officers were set to drain a large dam close by to the family's homestead in their latest efforts to find him.
The water, which was about 4.5 metres deep, was searched by police divers shortly after the youngster went missing.
"The draining of the dam will enable a comprehensive visual search to be completed, particularly areas with underwater vegetation," South Australia Police said.
"The renewed search of the dam is being undertaken to rule out the possibility Gus may have drowned.
"This follows extensive ground and air searches of the area surrounding the homestead since Gus disappeared."
Police drained the dam in search of the young boy
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Officers spent more than three hours removing around 3.2 million litres of water but found no sign of the missing boy.
Police said their investigations "have not uncovered any evidence of foul play".
A statement read: "Police had been hopeful the extensive ground searches would locate Gus or provide evidence of the direction in which Gus may have walked, but this has not been the case.
"Task Force Horizon is conducting multiple lines of inquiry to locate Gus.
The search for the missing boy has involved hundreds of volunteers, police and military personnel
| SA POLICE"These investigations have not uncovered any evidence of foul play.
"The family of Gus have continued to cooperate fully with police and are being supported by a victim contact officer."
The boy was described by a family member as a "shy but adventurous child".
He was said to be a "good walker" but had never previously left the family's property.