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Three boys lost for hours in bush near Baradine at the weekend were found about 12 kilometres from where they had last been seen.
The trio had wandered off from their parents while hunting on Saturday afternoon, police said on Monday.
It sparked an extensive multi-agency search at the Wittenbra State Forest near Baradine before the boys were found safe and well.
The children, two aged eight and the other 10, were last seen near Odells Wells Road about 2.30pm on Saturday, after wandering off from their parents while hunting, police said.
Search parties involved officers from Orana Mid Western Police District, NSW Volunteer Rescue Association including Dubbo, Mendooran and Coonabarabran members, State Emergency Service, Rural Fire Service, Westpac Rescue Helicopter and a fixed-wing rescue aircraft.
About 9.30pm the same day, the children were located within the forest safe and well, about 12 kilometres from where they had last been seen, police said.
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The children were assessed for injuries and released into the care of their guardians.
Orana Mid Western Police District Inspector Michael Smith said it was the optimum result.
"It was a great effort by all agencies involved, working together in challenging conditions to find the children safe and well," he said.
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Three lost boys stranded for hours in the bush in north-western NSW are back with their parents thanks to an all-out effort to find them and their own "cool" heads.
The trio, all aged under 10, were at the centre of an emergency response at Baradine on Saturday afternoon that extended well into the night.
Under police rescue operators' guidance, Dubbo Rescue Squad volunteers were part of the response that also included colleagues from the Coonabarabran and Mendooran squads, Coonamble State Emergency Service and local Rural Fire Service units.
Finally about 10pm, the outcome for which everyone was hoping - the boys were found safe and well.
The Dubbo volunteers responded to the call for help at 4pm on Saturday after the boys had gone missing earlier.
"It was a great result with all three youngsters return to their grateful parents," Dubbo Rescue Squad said in a post to its Facebook page.
"The boys all aged under 10 kept their cool leaving items of clothing along tracks for searchers to find.
"This helped searchers narrow the search area and the boys were located around 10pm.
"Congratulations to all the volunteers involved great to see to the emergency teams coming together for a successful outcome."