High-tech surveillance deployed as Australian manhunt for Dezi Freeman enters fourth week

Australian police on Tuesday expanded a high-tech surveillance effort in the hunt for Dezi Freeman, with authorities saying the manhunt has entered its fourth week and that no trace of the fugitive has been found despite the deployment of advanced equipment.

The operation centers on a long-range system that pairs a high-resolution telescopic camera with a microwave booster, a setup several units in the Mount Buffalo region use to capture detailed images in difficult terrain. One device has been mounted on a hilltop overlooking Freeman’s Porepunkah property, the site of a deadly confrontation that preceded his disappearance. Police describe the surveillance as a highly technical effort designed to monitor vast swaths of bush and access hard-to-reach areas with precision.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Russell Barrett said the response has involved more than 125 specialist officers who have crawled through caves, traversed rivers and falls, searched plantations and gorges, and checked hundreds of homes and properties with or without warrants. He said the operation is dangerous and physically demanding, noting that responders frequently encounter wildlife and uneven ground that can impede coordination.

Freeman, 56, a self-described sovereign citizen and veteran bushman, vanished after a fatal shootout with officers who were serving a routine search warrant at his converted bus on August 26. Ten officers arrived at the scene near Freeman’s property in Porepunkah, where they were met with resistance as Freeman refused to unlock the door and officers attempted to gain entry. The standoff quickly escalated when shots were fired, killing Detective Senior Constable Neal Thompson and Senior Constable Vadim de Waart Hottart and injuring a third officer.

Freeman is believed to have fled into the rugged alpine bushland surrounding the area, taking weapons from the dead officers as he vanished. Authorities say the search has since covered a vast and treacherous landscape, with responders navigating dense scrub, deep ravines, and river gorges in an effort to locate him. The search has been described by officials as one of the most technically challenging in Victoria Police history.

Freeman’s background has become a focal point of public interest. Friends describe him as an unreliable but highly capable survivalist who habitually disappears into the wilderness for weeks at a time, often without packing supplies. A longtime confidant told the Daily Mail that Freeman would not stock up for trips, instead opting to “walk into the bush and that’s it,” underscoring why investigators say this case presents a unique and difficult challenge.

Never-before-seen images published by the Daily Mail offer a portrait of Freeman over decades, portraying him as a bare-skinned, at-times-nomadic figure who appears to live off the land in ways that have become part of the public narrative around the search. The photographs, described by the outlet as showing Freeman mastering survival skills—such as handling a tiger snake, climbing trees barefoot, or sheltering around a campfire—are presented as context for the life he is believed to have led in the bush. While those images illuminate Freeman’s long-standing familiarity with the wild, police officials caution that the same skills could complicate the manhunt by enabling him to evade detection.

The investigation has included sweeping hundreds of properties, including remote homesteads and outbuildings, and authorities say they remain committed to pursuing all credible leads. Barrett reiterated that the operation remains active and that investigators will continue to leverage both field personnel and technology as the search persists in the challenging terrain around Mount Buffalo and the surrounding countryside. He urged the public to report any sightings or information that could help investigators—emphasizing that the case remains a top priority for Victoria Police even as the weeks stretch on without a breakthrough.

The incidents surrounding Freeman’s disappearance have raised questions about the efficacy of high-tech tools in rural, rugged environments. Some residents have publicly questioned whether cameras and drones can compensate for the absence of a physical, on-the-ground presence in the bush. Yet police officials say the combination of sophisticated surveillance and disciplined ground operations is essential to navigate the risk-laden landscape that Freeman is believed to know well. As the hunt continues, authorities stress that the focus remains on locating Freeman and ensuring the safety of the communities in and around Porepunkah and Mount Buffalo.