MISSING Warrnambool father Michael Burn has been captured on CCTV refuelling his car on the night of his disappearance.

In the first breakthrough in the case, police can confirm after trawling through hours of security footage that Mr Burn stopped at United Petroleum on Cox St, Hamilton, and filled up his car at 8.50pm on Sunday.

He is then seen leaving in the direction towards Warrnambool.

His family have viewed the footage and confirmed it is him.

Police said there was no indication from the footage — or discussions with the service station attendant — of anything suspicious.

But Mr Burn, 50, had changed his clothes from when he was last sighted leaving his older brother Russell’s house about two hours earlier.

Investigators trying to piece together his movements now believe he went from his brother’s house in Tarrington to his mother’s vacant property in Shanahan Crt, Hamilton — a move he told his brother he was going to do — had a shower and got changed before driving to the fuel station.

The handyman had spent the weekend at his brother’s home, helping with renovations, and left about 6.45pm — after having dinner with Russell and his wife — in “good spirits” and excited to see his wife, Anabel, and their children, Owen, 7, and Christine, 4.

When he left there, he was wearing a hi-vis jacket, blue work pants and boots.

In the service station footage — the last time he was sighted — he was wearing a grey unzipped top with black sleeves, a grey and white striped shirt, black pants and black shoes.

An extensive search has been underway for the father-of-two with police not being able to find any trace of his silver 2007 Holden Rodeo ute, with registration WLV 165.

media_camera The search for father-of-two Michael Burn continues as his wife Anabel desperately awaits news of his whereabouts.

The search, now in its fifth day, has centred around the main route Mr Burn would have likely taken to get home, as police took to the air and roads in fear he has likely had an accident and veered off the road.

Hamilton Police Sergeant Peter Freeman said the focus had switched today to smaller country roads after his family told police he travels the area frequently and is known to take back roads.

He urged farmers or transport drivers in the area to check their local areas for Mr Burn’s car.

“We’d like any of the local farmers to have a look for anything like skid marks, broken fences,” he said.

Mrs Burn told the Herald Sun she was trying to stay strong and positive for their children as she waits for any news but as each day goes by it is getting harder.

“This is not like him at all,” she said.

“The kids keep asking ‘when is daddy going to be home?’.

“I really don’t know what’s happened to him. He loves us so much and would do anything for us. I know he wouldn’t just leave us like this on purpose.”

Mr Burn is hearing-impaired and does not have a mobile phone.

He has not touched his bank accounts but was known to have at least $400 cash on him.

The alarm was first raised when Mrs Burn, after a sleepless night, contacted Russell at 7am on Monday morning to ask if her husband was still there.

“I knew straight away something was wrong — this is totally out of character for Michael,” Mr Burn’s brother Russell said.

“We don’t want to fear the worst but I feel he would not fall off the planet without him being forced to.

“He is a caring person and if someone was stuck on the side of the road he wouldn’t think twice about stopping to help them.

“I really do think something untoward has happened.”

Anyone with information about his disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.