Search for missing Vic man intensifies

Police and family of a missing Melbourne man will scour remote scrub where his car was found abandoned in South Australia.

Dane Kowalski was last seen leaving his Melbourne home on December 12.

Workers found his car, a Holden Rodeo ute, abandoned in scrubland about 95km south west of Coober Pedy, SA police said on Wednesday.

A crime scene investigator is examining the vehicle in a bid to figure out what happened to the 27-year-old, with police saying there doesn't appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

Special Tasks and Rescue police and SES volunteers will begin a ground search in the area at first light on Thursday and additional officers are expected to join the effort on Friday.

Mr Kowalski's family and close friends are also heading to the region to assist.

Messages posted to the `Find Dane' Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon said: "Dane's family and some close friends are heading to Coober Pedy now to assist and search."

"We all have our fingers crossed and are praying this enables us to bring Dane home.

"We are all overwhelmed with emotion and want to thank everyone for their love, prayers and support."

Mr Kowalski, a tradesman, told family and friends he planned on heading to the coast to stay at Wilsons Promontory or Leongatha until December 19.

But police believe he may have instead been heading for the Northern Territory.

The `Find Dane' Facebook page has attracted more than 33,000 likes while Mr Kowalski's friends have pulled together a $50,000 reward for anyone with information.