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A major police search in the Newlyn area has met with a happy ending with police locating the missing man.
The 33 year-old man turned up safe and well in Ballarat where he was located in a Ballarat home on Thursday around noon.
Moorabool Police Service Area Acting Inspector Anthony Traynor said he wanted to thank the public for its willingness to help find the missing 33-year-old.
"I also want to thank the BSAR organisation - Bush Search and Rescue," he said.
"This is the first time I have dealt with them but they are a group of elite bushwalkers who volunteer their time.
"They're specialists who can help search in difficult conditions and on multi-day operations in remote areas.
"They are specialists from bushwalking groups across the state. Many of the people who came out today were from Melbourne.
"I also really want to thank police and the SES and everyone who was involved in the search.
"Further enquiries meant we were able to locate the missing person safe and well in Ballarat."
EARLIER:
A major missing person operation has been launched in the Newlyn area, with a search for a man entering its second day.
A Ballarat SES crew with five members has joined the police crews in Newlyn to search for the missing person who has been missing overnight in the area to the east of the township.
The Air Wing has also been employed in the search.
Crews were searching late on Wednesday before operations were discontinued as night fell.
The missing man Jeparit man has been missing since Monday night.
He was last seen walking east along Long Swamp Road at Rocklyn about 11am on Monday, 16 January.
Police report he entered bushland in the Wombat State Forest but didn't return and he did not take any food, water or his phone with him.
Police said family have concerns for the man due to the length of time he has been missing.
The police description of the man says he is Caucasian about 190cm tall with a medium build, short receding brown hair and a red beard.
He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with a black "NXP" logo, tan short, blue/black converse runners and a black "Mighty Ducks" baseball cap.
So far Victoria Police have set up a command centre with a large trailer, multiple highway patrol four wheel drives and towing trailers.
The combined effort search is includes officers from the Air Wing, Search & Rescue, Special Solo Unit, Mounted Branch, Dog Squad, Bush Search and Rescue and SES.
They are also employing at least four police trail bikes.
The search is focussing on an area around the locality of Rocklyn, a forested and mixed farm area on the verge of the Wombat State Forest.
Conditions were unseasonably cold on Wednesday night with temperatures dropping to about seven degrees with a steady south-easterly wind reaching 40km/h.
Police were briefing crews in the Newlyn Hall at 8am on Thursday.
More details of the missing person have not been released.
Anyone or has information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Bacchus Police Station on 5366 4500.
