FIRE and Rescue NSW's Orange brigade spent a number of hours battling Ophir's challenging terrain on Sunday to rescue a dog from a mine shaft.
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Gold prospectors in the Mullion Range State Conservation Area heard the dog barking on Sunday morning and when they visited a nearby property, they discovered the dog, named Duke, belonged to its residents, the Ellisons.
The Ellisons then rang FRNSW, who arrived on scene about midday and spent the next two hours accessing the site, which required 20 minutes' travel in vehicles and 20 minutes on foot, and using rope to pull the 40-kilogram dog from the hole.
The Rural Fire Service also assisted during the response.
FRNSW station officer Brad Monico said the main challenge was reaching the dog.
"It was no easy job, but he was fine and I presume he would have been down there for three days," he said.
Peter Ellison said Duke and one of the family's other dogs had slipped out the back door four days ago, but while the second dog returned that night, Duke did not and he had been searching for Duke for the past two-and-a-half days.
"It was a great relief, we're very happy to have him back and [the FRNSW personnel] were wonderful," he said.
"The mine shafts are very narrow and you can't see them, they're everywhere."
