Missing boys found after night in bush

Nicholas Baxter, 6, and (left) Timmy Jack Carter, 5, have been missing since Saturday afternoon. Photo / Supplied via Braidwood Times Australia

The two missing north Queensland boys who spent a night in the Australian bush have both been found.

Nicholas Baxter, 6, was found safe on Sunday afternoon and his friend Timmy Carter, 5, was found a short time later.

Both disappeared about 4pm on Saturday at the intersection of Diamantina and Bullock streets in the Townsville suburb of Wulguru.

"Great News! Five-year-old Timmy Carter has also been found on Mt Stuart," Queensland Police Service posted on Facebook.

"While a detailed medical examination needs to be conducted it would appear Nicholas is reasonably unharmed from his ordeal, although this is yet to be confirmed," the statement read.

"Nicholas remains with search crews while efforts are underway to retrieve him from Mt Stuart."

Both boys didn't have shoes on when they were last seen and Timmy was not wearing a shirt.

SES crews, rescue helicopters and police have been searching since Saturday afternoon for the pair.

Soldiers from a nearby defence base joined the search on Sunday morning.

A scooter and a tricycle were found about 8.30pm on Saturday on a dirt track near bushland, leading police to believe the boys wandered off into thick scrub and got lost.

Acting Inspector Chris Lawson said the boys had walked about 3km into the bush bordering their suburb, and soldiers found them not far from a fence denoting defence land.

Their families greeted news of their discovery with "a lot of relief".

"They'll get to spend the night home tonight in bed," Inspector Lawson said.

Earlier, Timmy's mother issued several pleas on her Facebook page, urging people to join the search and praying for her son's safety.

"Please... find my boy he is 5 years old," the distraught mother wrote on Saturday night.

"Please help."

She posted also during the night, saying: "Oh god please say my boy is found.. ...please tell me hes ok..... Please come home to mummy timmy please (sic)".

Inspector Lawson said 40 SES crews and 28 police officers were scouring bushland while detectives also followed up other lines of inquiry.

-AAP