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Central Victorian man to search mine site for brother's remains 47 years after his disappearance

Terry Floyd, 12, disappeared in 1975 and was last seen waiting for a lift back to Maryborough from Avoca. (Supplied: Missing Persons)

A new search for missing Maryborough boy Terry Floyd, who disappeared 47 years ago, will begin later this week — sparked by new evidence delivered to his brother in the past month. 

Daryl Floyd, of Maryborough, is hoping the information will lead him and other volunteer searchers to his brother's remains.

Terry, who was 12 at the time, disappeared in 1975 after waiting for a ride from Avoca and was last seen on the side of the Pyrenees Highway in Central Victoria.

Now five specialist dogs that can find human remains will be used in the search of the mine site this weekend.

Police are not involved in the search at this stage.

Mr Floyd thinks his brother is in the mineshaft.

Maryborough was a thriving gold rush town for much of the 19th century. (ABC Ballarat: Bridget Rollason)

Prospectors' find leads to new search

Mr Floyd and the volunteer searchers from Search Dogs Sydney will comb a 500-metre radius around the mine site, carrying on the promise Mr Floyd made to his parents years ago.

"It's one of those boxes you just have to tick," he said.

"I was contacted on New Year's Day by some prospectors who had been into that area, and they've found something that is quite a significant find." 

Terry Floyd, pictured with his siblings who have sought answers about his disappearance since 1975. (Supplied: Jennifer Fildes)

He said it could be a weapon of some kind, but was not clothing.

"If you don't search, you don't find," he said.

"And that's what I've mentioned before — failure to search is failure to find."

Victoria Police reopened the case into Terry's disappearance in 2000 and the next year a coroner found he had been murdered.

Seven years ago, the reward for giving police information that led to the mystery being solved was increased to $1 million.

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