A large button believed to be from that same brown Levi jacket is the latest discovery in the search for Terry’s remains down the disused Morning Star Mine at Avoca.

Terry’s brother Daryl, who has been conducting a painstaking search of the old gold mine, says the latest discovery has renewed hope he is looking in the right area for the 12-year-old’s remains.

“We keep finding parts of clothing (down the mine) that resemble what Terry was wearing the day he vanished. This latest discovery gives us new hope,” Mr Floyd said.

The Morning Star Mine is strongly thought to be the final resting place of Terry, who was believed to be murdered on or around June 28, 1975.

Each weekend, weather permitting, Mr Floyd leads a team of specialist miners and volunteers who have dug out hundreds of tonnes of debris from the mine since the excavation began almost a decade ago.

In recent months, the search crew has also discovered a small leather size six shoe, brass shoelace eyelets, a piece of a cardigan sleeve and elastic from boy’s underwear, a press stud from a Miller’s shirt and a silver chain necklace, all of which Terry was wearing the day he disappeared.

The latest discovery of the 10mm wide brown button was made about 4.5m down a drive at the Morning Star Mine.

“I remember that brown Levi jacket very well … Terry and I used to share our clothes and I wore that jacket often. I distinctively remember wearing it,” Mr Floyd told The Courier this week.

Over the years, Mr Floyd has spent tens of thousands of dollars searching the mine. The state government has also offered financial backing for the search.

A $1 million reward is being offered for information in this historic cold case, which has haunted the Floyd family for decades.

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Terry Floyd can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.