Police have launched a new appeal to the public in the search for missing man Patrick Thaidy.
The renewed search comes a year after the 60-year-old vanished from his home on Delasala Drive in Macquarie Hills at 12am.
At least a dozen officers from the Police Rescue squad are on the scene at Bayview Street at Warners Bay, where the man was last confirmed to have been seen.
They'll use a drone for aerial searching efforts, as well as undertake a ground search in bushland.
Detective Acting Inspector Nathan Costello says police are hoping to provide the family with closure.
"There's a steep decline - officers will abseil down and make their way along the base of that steep ravine," Mr Costello said.
"We've also got the drones, and they'll do grid pattern searches predominantly along the bush parallel with Bayview Street."
The Lake Macquarie Police District has ruled out a number of leads across New South Wales, and say the 60-year-old has a history of wandering off.
"Mr Thaidy had been reported on a number of prior occasions wandering the streets at Cardiff, at Warners Bay, at Macquarie Hills," Mr Costello said.
"He does suffer dementia, widely known in the community, and often members of the local community would return him to his home."
"We are following up that misadventure as a possible."
Mr Thaidy's family are deeply concerned for his welfare, and are desperate for him to return home.
Officers are hoping to close the case, and are calling on the public to provide any information which could help their efforts.
"Police have done a land search of this bush previously, and have also searched using a cadaver dog," Mr Costello said.
"That identified some quite inaccessible areas, very cliff-like terrain, and today's search will focus on those areas."
