Search for Luke Fergusson enters tenth day

The desperate search for Luke Fergusson in South Burnett has entered its tenth day with police expressing ‘grave concerns for his welfare’ as the nights hit subzero temperatures.

The area being scoured in the desperate hunt for missing South Burnett man Luke Fergusson is expected to expand even further on Friday if he is not found.

The search for Luke Fergusson has entered is tenth day as police, Australian Defence Force, State Emergency Services, neighbours and family continue to rally together in search of him.

A massive search party, consisting of 20 local landholders, 40 ADF personnel, 24 SES volunteers and multiple police officers have already searched hundreds of square kilometres, police have confirmed.

“Grave fears are held for Luke’s welfare following successive subzero temperatures within the region,” police said in a statement.

The search efforts have now “focused on the heavily wooded areas and dense undergrowth within a 5km radius of where he was last seen.”

The South Burnett community have rallied around Susanne Bedey, Luke’s mother.

Ms Bedey described her 28-year-old son, who has autism, as more like an ‘eight-year-old child’, who was likely afraid and confused.

His last sighting was at the family’s Abbeywood Rd address at Proston at around midday on Friday, June 9, 2023.

Ms Bedey has made continued calls for help, and as of yet, has no clear answer as to where Luke had gone.

“We just need more people,” Ms Bedey said on Thursday.

“This is such a big area.”

Police divers started scouring waterways and dams in the area on Wednesday.

There was even a private individual who was using their own helicopter to help with the search, Ms Bedey said.

Luke Fergusson went missing from his family home at Proston on Friday June 9, 2023. He was last seen at midday and on foot.

Ms Bedey said there had also been a sighting of him at a property about 4km away earlier in the week. However, other reported sightings have so far led to dead ends for the search party.

Motorists are urged to make contact if they have given Luke a lift.

Footprints which may belong to Luke were also found, but Ms Bedey said the were trying to find a point of comparison for the shoe’s treads.

“We’re not quite sure yet,” Ms Bedey said.

The search area, which as of Tuesday encompassed more than 300ha in a 27sq km area, has now been expanded west of Proston Abbeywood Rd.

Ms Bedey said it was expected to be expanded further north of their home too.

Search parties have been scouring an area of more than 300ha in their search for Luke Fergusson, with the search area expanding west Thursday. it is expected to grow to the north Friday if Luke is not found, his mother Susanne Bedey said.

She asked any landowners in the area to please check their sheds and properties, and reminded locals that if they do spot Luke to call police instead of relying on social media.

Not knowing what had happened to Luke, or where he was, has left his mother feeling “hideous”.

“The nights are awful because you imagine the worst,” Ms Bedey said.

“Make sure you tell the people you love that you love them, because you don’t know when you’ll see them again.

“There are no descriptors that could possible convey the panic and terror (right now).”

Luke is described as caucasian, about 175cm tall, with a proportionate build, brown hair and brown eyes.

Police have appealed to South Burnett residents to check their properties and review their CCTV or dashcam footage for the past few days.

Anyone with information about Luke’s whereabouts is urged to contact police.

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