“I don’t want to hold anyone’s hopes up.”

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Superintendent Michael Rowan is in charge of the detectives looking into one of the most infamous murders in Australia, but even with the latest development in the search for Donald Mackay’s remains he is not willing to fill hearts with hope.

The Griffith local area commander spoke with journalists outside the Hay courthouse earlier today, and while spruiking advances in forensic technology, Superintendent Rowan was careful with his words.

“In real terms, what I can say is (Mr Mackay) was murdered in 1977, here we are in the year 2013 and the development in forensic science has been exponential in that time,” he said.

“I wouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves. At this stage we’re just making a search. In real terms we cannot discount the information, the NSW Police treats these matters seriously. But as I say, with the advent of science and so forth, there are possibilities, but I don’t want to (get peoples’ hopes up).”

Extensive resources from NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police – including anthropology and geography experts – are being thrown at the small patch of land on Willow Farm, just west of Hay, in the search for Mr Mackay’s remains.

The tip-off that has led to this branch of the investigation was received back in 2011, and the search on the property is the first time the location has been identified as a possible burial site.

“NSW Police, in particular Griffith Local Area Command, received information in December 2011. That information was anonymous in nature, however, since that time extensive inquiries have been made into that information and we are in the position where we can’t discount it,” Superintendent Rowan said.

“Our search is quite confined to an area which would be geographically 50 metres by about 30 metres and at the moment there is a dam in that area, there’s also an area that yesterday was cleared that looks like it was used as part of a farm tip and there’s also some trees as well.

“We know that we’re looking at a particular area that we’ve described, what is contained in that area I’m not sure. Obviously there’s a farm that’s been developed over time, I’m not quite sure what was there historically, so we’re going in there with a very open mind, very structured process and we’ll see what comes of that.”

“This is something very close to hearts of people of city of Griffith, and something very close to hearts of people of NSW and Australia. The murder of Mr Mackay was the first political assassination in this country and obviously that’s why it’s certainly a topical area.”