A search is under way as fears grow for a missing man detectives believe met with foul play in regional Victoria.
John Swiety was last seen near a walking track in eastern Gippsland on the morning of March 17.
The 57-year-old and an associate travelled from Morwell to the remote Ironbark Track in Goongerah in a white HiAce van.
Mr Swiety left the vehicle, leaving his two small terrier dogs behind.
There has been no trace of him since and this week dozens of police are searching several sites in Gippsland as part of a missing person probe.
The day after Mr Swiety's suspicious disappearance, local hunters came across the associate who had become bogged in mud about 30km away from the track.
Several hours later, a passerby found the two dogs wandering the area.
Contact details from their microchips lead to Mr Swiety's sister, who then reported him missing to police.
The 47-year-old associate from Morwell has been interviewed by investigators several times and is assisting with the investigation.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector David Dunstan said the associate had not realised Mr Swiety was missing at the time of his disappearance.
Mr Swiety's brother Les described the discovery of the dogs as a "light bulb" moment because his brother never went anywhere without them.
The family are desperate to know what happened to him.
"There's a few that are pretty distraught, there's a fair gap there that needs to be filled," Les told reporters on Tuesday.
He holds suspicions about what had happened to his brother and said police told him John had only met the associate shortly before the pair went to the track.
The white van they drove in has since been forensically tested.
Anyone who saw Mr Swiety on March 17 or has information about what he was doing near the track is urged to come forward.
"We believe strongly that there are members of the community who know what has happened to John and we're seeking support from the community to provide that information," Det Insp Dunstan said.
