Family and friends of a three-year-old boy who went missing from his family's NSW Hunter Valley property are celebrating after he was found alive following a three-day search in rugged bushland.
Police tweeted on Monday afternoon the boy had been found but was yet to be assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
Anthony "AJ" Elfalak, who has autism and is non-verbal, went missing from his family's remote rural property at Putty about 11.45am on Friday.
He was reportedly found by a rescue helicopter in nearby bushland where he was drinking creek water to survive.
The boy survived three nights alone in the bush in temperatures which dipped as low as three degrees.
Footage broadcast by Nine showed the boy's family jumping around in jubilation when they heard he had been found.
"Thank you for everyone. Thank you for the government. Thank you for the police. Thank you very much," AJ's mother Kelly Elfalak told Nine News.
"Thank you to my friend, my cousin, my sisters, my family. Thank you, everybody and whoever prayed for us."
Anthony and Kelly Elfalak and their four sons moved to the property just months ago as Mr Elfalak's work as a plumber dried up amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
Over the weekend more than 130 people were involved in the search of the property and volunteers helped police on foot and on dirt bikes.
Divers also searched and drained a large dam on the property.
NSW State Emergency Services tweeted: "We are over the moon and very happy to have provided our assistance."
Family friend Alan Hashem, who was at the property when the boy went missing, spoke to Nine News after learning the boy had been found.
He said he had barely slept for days.
"We were driving ourselves crazy, this kid could barely walk," Mr Hashem said.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would be "absolutely delighted" if the then unconfirmed reports AJ had been found were true.
"I think all of us have been crossing everything to make sure AJ is brought back safely," she told reporters.
"And if that's the case, it's much-needed good news in otherwise difficult circumstances."
© AAP 2021