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Australia is on track to allow rapid home coronavirus tests but a timeline remains uncertain despite widespread use around the world.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration is weighing making rapid antigen tests - which return results in as little as 15 minutes - available in more settings.

While there are 28 tests approved for use, a number of conditions including supervision and location mean the method is largely restricted to a handful of workplaces.

Health Minister Greg Hunt is confident the medicines regulator will sign off on home tests in coming weeks or months.

"This is absolutely where the nation's heading," he told 2GB radio on Monday.

"We'll have not just the workplace tests, not just the PCR tests - the ones where you go to the clinics - but the home tests are on the way."

Home testing kits are being used in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe.

TGA boss John Skerritt last week told a Senate committee rapid antigen tests were less reliable than PCR and worked more effectively when coronavirus was more common.

Professor Skerritt also said new instructions were needed for the tests to make them understandable for people without training.

Mr Hunt said the TGA was examining how rapid testing could be used without the supervision of a health worker.

"They're being used in workplaces in aged care elsewhere and then the next frontier is to move for approval on the home front," he said.

He said while some state chief health officers were not supportive, there was now momentum to allow home tests.

© AAP 2021

A three-year-old boy who went missing from his family's NSW Hunter Valley property on Friday has been found alive after four days of intensive searching 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.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she would be "absolutely delighted" if the then unconfirmed reports the boy 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."

Anthony and Kelly Elfalak and their four sons moved to the property just months ago as Mr Elfalak's work as a plumber had dried up amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

Family friend Alan Hashem was at the property when the boy went missing and says he saw an old white van driving away from the location.

He said the family believed the boy has been abducted.

"Without a doubt. Without a doubt," he told the Nine Network on Monday.

"For the simple reason he is on the spectrum of autism but he is always quite afraid and attached to his mum hence why his mum couldn't have him by her side when she's cooking, he is with his brothers.

"He's never wandered," he said.

NSW Police Superintendent Tracy Chapman said 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.

© AAP 2021

A three-year-old boy who went missing from his family's NSW Hunter property on Friday has been located after four days of intensive searching, police have said.

Police said on Monday afternoon the boy had been located 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 rural property at Putty about 11.45am on Friday.

His family said they believed he had been abducted, rather than wandered off.

Anthony and Kelly Elfalak and their four sons moved to the property just months ago as Mr Elfalak's work as a plumber had dried up amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

Family friend Alan Hashem was at the property when the boy went missing and says he saw an old white van driving away from the location.

He said the family believed the boy has been abducted.

"Without a doubt. Without a doubt," he told the Nine Network on Monday.

"For the simple reason he is on the spectrum of autism but he is always quite afraid and attached to his mum hence why his mum couldn't have him by her side when she's cooking, he is with his brothers.

"He's never wandered," he said.

NSW Police Superintendent Tracy Chapman said over the weekend more than 130 people were involved in the search of the property and volunteers are helping police on foot and on dirt bikes.

Divers also searched and drained a large dam on the property.

© AAP 2021