A manhunt for Australia's most wanted fugitive has been scaled back, five weeks after two police officers were gunned down at a rural property. The 56-year-old has been on the run since, fleeing into dense bushland from the mountainous town about 300km northeast of Melbourne. Despite no confirmed sighting of the trained bush survivalist since the shooting, Victoria Police commissioner Mike Bush said authorities were determined to find him. Officers, including specialist teams from interstate and abroad, have searched more than 40 square kilometres of land by foot and air in the hunt for Freeman. The police chief conceded the search was "absolutely" becoming more challenging as time goes on as the force rotated officers conducting the search and providing reassurance to the local community.