Breakthrough in hunt for William Tyrrell: Police dump original search area after receiving new information and race to nearby creek close to where the three-year-old boy was last seen alive

  • Police move search for William Tyrrell to new area after getting fresh information
  • Hunt for the missing toddler is continuing after his seventh birthday yesterday
  • William was three years old when he went missing in September 2014
  • A month-long forensic search near where he disappeared is still ongoing 
  • Police said the aim of the search is to prove beyond doubt that he was abducted 

The bush search for William Tyrrell has taken a twist as investigators move to a new area just four kilometres from where the missing toddler was last seen alive.  

After receiving further information regarding the three year old's disappearance, officers from Strike Force Rosann will today concentrate on a zone outside of the established forensic search area near Port Macquarie, New South Wales.

Police plan to comb an area of bushland around Cedar Loggers Lane and Batar Creek Road in Batar Creek. 

Emergency services volunteers will also be involved in today's search operation, which comes one day after what would have been the missing boy's seventh birthday.

William was just three years old, playing in the yard of his foster grandmother's home on Benaroon Drive in Kendall, when he went missing in September 2014.

The new search area is a mere six-minute drive from that location.

A month-long search forensic search for William is into its third week, as volunteers continue to help the Strike Force Rosann team look near where he went missing.

The new zone is just four kilometres from where William Tyrrell (pictured) was last seen alive

The bush search for William Tyrrell has taken a twist as investigators move to a new area just four kilometres from where the missing toddler was last seen alive

Police plan to comb the bushland around Cedar Loggers Lane and Batar Creek Road in Batar Creek 

After receiving further information regarding the three year old's disappearance, officers from Strike Force Rosann will today concentrate on an area of land outside the established forensic search area

Police plan to comb an area of bushland around Cedar Loggers Lane and Batar Creek Road in Batar Creek

Police plan to comb an area of bushland around Cedar Loggers Lane and Batar Creek Road in Batar Creek

William was just three years old, playing in the yard of his foster grandmother's home on Benaroon Drive in Kendall, New South Wales, when he went missing in September 2014

William was just three years old, playing in the yard of his foster grandmother's home on Benaroon Drive in Kendall, New South Wales, when he went missing in September 2014

A month-long search forensic search for William is into its third week, as volunteers help the Strike Force Rosann team look near where he went missing

A month-long search forensic search for William is into its third week, as volunteers help the Strike Force Rosann team look near where he went missing

Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin said investigators' thoughts were with William's family.

'While we are obviously thinking of William and his loved ones every day, today is particularly tough as we know it's another milestone without answers,' he told the Illawarra Mercury on Tuesday.

'As such, our focus remains on providing his family with answers, and our investigation, along with the search of bushland at Kendall, is continuing today.'

Volunteers are helping police by clearing dense scrub in sections of the search area.

The new search has a forensic focus and is focused on an area of three square kilometres.

The purpose of the evidence they are looking to gather is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that William's disappearance was due to human intervention and not 'misadventure'.

Volunteers are helping police by clearing dense scrub in sections of the search area

Volunteers are helping police by clearing dense scrub in sections of the search area

The new search has a forensic focus and is focused on an area of three square kilometres

The new search has a forensic focus and is focused on an area of three square kilometres

Det Insp Jubelin said he hoped the fresh search would 'rattle some cages' and put pressure on those who he believes are withholding valuable information.

'I strongly believe that there are people out there who have information on this,' he told reporters.

'I want to make a point to those people that if you do have information concerning what happened to William, you are committing an offence if you do not come forward.'

Det Insp Jubelin further declared that he wants that person or persons 'to feel that everyone's looking at them... let's see where that takes us.' 

Fifty officers are helping with the bush search surrounding the house where William was last seen

Fifty officers are helping with the bush search surrounding the house where William was last seen

Fifty officers are helping with the bush search surrounding the house where William was last seen.

The property was owned by his grandmother, and he was visiting with his foster family on the day he went missing.

Det Insp Jubelin said police had not given up on the investigation.

'We are committed to finding out what happened to William. We are mindful it has been three-and-a-half years since William disappeared and we still have not solved this matter.'

The property was owned by his grandmother, and he was visiting with his foster family on the day he went missing

The property was owned by his grandmother, and he was visiting with his foster family on the day he went missing

If the case can't be solved from a criminal perspective then it will go to an inquest.

Among the lines of inquiry are allegations of a paedophile ring, operating from the mid-north coast of New South Wales. 

A $1million reward for William's recovery still stands.

Among the lines of inquiry are allegations of a paedophile ring, operating from the mid-north coast of New South Wales

Among the lines of inquiry are allegations of a paedophile ring, operating from the mid-north coast of New South Wales

TIMELINE OF THE DISAPPEARANCE OF WILLIAM TYRRELL

Pictured: William Tyrrell, 3, was wearing this Spiderman costume when he vanished

2014

* SEPTEMBER 12 - Dressed in a Spiderman outfit, three-year-old William Tyrrell goes missing from the front yard of his foster grandmother's home in Kendall, 40km south of Port Macquarie.

* SEPTEMBER 21 - Police stop searching for the missing boy after scouring surrounding bushland and neighbouring houses.

2015 

* FEBRUARY 19 - Homicide detectives take over the case and say it's likely William was abducted.

* MARCH 2 - Police search bushland near Bonny Hills for three days after a tip-off.

* APRIL 17 - William's foster parents speak publicly for the first time in an emotional video released through police which does not identify them.

* APRIL17 - Police say the boy may have been a victim of a pedophile ring.

* SEPTEMBER 12 - 'Where's William' week is launched one year after he disappeared.

2016

* SEPTEMBER 12 - A $1 million reward is offered for information leading to William's return.

2017

* AUGUST 24 - William's foster child status is revealed after a court ruling.

2018

* JUNE 12 - NSW Police announce the start of a four-week forensic search of bushland in Kendall conducted by Strike Force Rosann.

*  JUNE 14 - William's grandmother scolds police who have failed to find the young boy after four years, and claims their latest search is 'just for show'.

 * JUNE 26 - the forensic search continues on what would have been William's seventh birthday.

* JUNE 27 -  Strike Force Rosann announce that they are moving the search to an 800sqm block of bushland just four kilometres from where William was last seen alive.

 Source: AAP

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