After a seven-week closure prompted by the search for alleged gunman Dezi Freeman, a Victorian national park has reopened, albeit with certain limitations in place.

The incident dates back 49 days to when Freeman is accused of fatally shooting Senior Constable Vadim de Waart-Hottart and Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson. The tragic event occurred as they attempted to execute a search warrant at Freeman’s secluded property in Porepunkah on August 26.

Following the shootings, Freeman was reportedly seen escaping into the bushland surrounding Mount Buffalo, turning the nearby national park into a central point for the police and search teams.

Since then, Mount Buffalo National Park had been closed to the public as part of the ongoing police investigation. However, the park was partially reopened today after a thorough inspection of its facilities by park staff.

While many of the popular trails, roads, and visitor sites are now accessible again, there remain certain areas that are still off-limits to ensure public safety.

Victoria Police said the park’s reopening “does not signify the end of the search for Freeman”, and officers will maintain a presence in the area.

“Despite these extensive searches and enquiries, police have not located Desmond Freeman. This work has, however, given Victoria Police the confidence that the park can now reopen, as we know how important it is for the local community,” Victoria Police said in a statement.

“With the park reopening, police are urging anyone with hunting or trail cameras to check their footage and share any information that may assist investigators.”

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush admitted that investigators were unsure whether Freeman was even alive.

“Is he still alive? We don’t know. Is he alive and still in the area? We have no real information to suggest that it’s occurred, but we never discount. Or has he been unable to leave the area and is being looked after by others? We don’t know,” he said at a press conference yesterday.

“All of those are assumptions, possibilities, and we plan and resource for those three.”

Freeman, born as Desmond Christopher Filby, is a conspiracy theorist and self-described sovereign citizen with what police said is an extensive knowledge of the bush and survival.

The 56-year-old has been known to police for a while and holds anti-police and government beliefs.

Australian and New Zealand police have been working together to search for him since the double-fatal shooting on August 26.

Large areas of Porepunkah and the Mount Buffalo National Park have been searched, more than 800 people have been questioned by police, and investigators have followed more than 1600 clues and tip-offs, according to Victoria Police.

But there is still no sign of Freeman.

A $1 million reward remains for any information that can lead to his arrest.

Police urge anyone with information or who sees suspicious behaviour at the national park to contact Crime Stoppers.