Police resume search for Samantha Murphy, missing from Ballarat since February

Police are again today wading through dense bush in the search for missing Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy.

Large-scale searches for missing Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy have resumed for a third day this week, seven months after she was last seen.

Victoria Missing Person Squad detectives NSW specialist officers and Australian Federal Police have joined renewed search efforts this week, which began on Tuesday, scouring areas described as dangerous because of old and unmapped mine shafts.

Samantha Murphy was last seen in February. Picture: Supplied

On Thursday morning a Victoria Police spokeswoman said the search was continuing today, however she was unable to confirm if police were scheduled to head to the area again on Friday.

About 45 officers are on foot, horseback, working with dogs and riding motorbikes through the dense bush in Enfield State Park, south Ballarat.

About 45 searchers are in the bush this week. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

Police are on motorbikes and horseback. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

The mother-of-three was last seen going for a jog on February 4.

A month later 23-year-old Patrick Stephenson was arrested and charged with murder. He has fronted court twice so far.

Since Ms Murphy was last seen, police have searched various areas in the Ballarat region.

The area being searched has unmapped mine shafts. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

Enfield Park is south of Ballarat. Picture: NewsWire / David Crosling

This week Inspector Dave Dunstan said police had been looking at different areas within a 3km radius of rugged terrain on-and-off for the past six weeks.

The terrain and bad weather have hindered the search and various times.

“The danger is there are a lot of mines here as well and that’s one of the reasons we’ve brought out search and rescue,” he told media on Wednesday.