Local officers surrounded the three men in bushland just outside of the town about 8am yesterday. Police confirmed two of the wanted men were sleeping in a stolen Toyota Rav4 4WD, while another was found a short distance away.

The three minimum-security inmates were discovered missing from a correctional facility at Brewarrina about 4am on Wednesday.

A large-scale man-hunt was launched to try and track down the men, who were serving time behind bars for attempted armed robbery, malicious damage, stealing and assault offences.

The men escaped in prison greens, but the uniforms were dumped and later found by police searching for the trio.

Police made a statewide appeal to try to find the men, one of whom hails from Moree.

The men, aged 18, 19 and 24, were arrested on the spot and taken to the Moree Police Station  yesterday morning and are facing unlawful escape charges.

They are expected to be refused bail to front court on the fresh charges today.