The champion canine was brought to visit Mr Zagas, who is now a resident of Opal Mudgee.  

Buster was hailed as a hero after finding Mr Zagas who had been lost for two nights and a day at Cooks Gap.

He alerted owner Donna Hartley and her friend Nina Mackay to Mr Zagas in Winchester Crescent.

Following Buster’s barking, Nina and Donna discovered Mr Zagas lying among some boulders at the back of Donna's property, around six kilometres from his home.

He was even recognised alongside long-serving police officers when Mudgee Local Area Command held the annual awards and presentation.

Buster – whose registered name actually includes Magnum and Sherlock Holmes – was presented with a certificate of appreciation in recognition for his role in locating the then 79-year-old.

Police from the Mudgee Local Area Command and the Volunteer Rescue Squad s(VRA) from Mudgee and Gulgong were called on the Thursday night after Mr Zagas’ wife reported him missing from his home at Ridge Road. She had last seen him sitting in a chair on the rear porch at around 6pm.

Police and VRA members searched through the night.

The Police Helicopter (POLAIR) joined the search on Friday morning, conducting a sweep at low range over an area of 8km radius.  

Trail bikes were also used in the search.

By Friday afternoon, Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers from around the region had arrived to join line searches on the Ridge Road property and neighbouring properties.

By around 4pm, 10 VRA members, 28 RFS members and eight police were involved in the search, as well as SES members.  

More RFS volunteers were called to continue the search on Saturday.

Then at 10.15am on the Saturday morning, Donna and Nina were saddling their horses when they heard Buster barking in the trees about 400 metres from the house. 

Ms Mackay, a WIRES (Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service) carer, thought Buster might have found an injured animal. 

When she went to investigate, she found Mr Zagas.