German backpacker Carolina Wilga found alive in WA's outback

RNZ News

11-07-2025

By
Grace Burmas
,
Mya Kordic
,
Gian De Poloni
and
Kenith Png
, ABC
Missing German backpacker Carolina Wilga has been found.
Photo:
Supplied
A German backpacker missing for 12 days in WA's outback has been found alive.
The ABC has confirmed Carolina Wilga, 26, was discovered alive late on Friday afternoon.
Prior to that, Wilga was last seen on 29 June at a general store in Beacon in WA's Wheatbelt, three-and-a-half hours drive north-east of Perth.
Police discovered her abandoned vehicle
deep in a nature reserve 36 kilometres north of the town on Thursday afternoon and conducted a large-scale aerial search.
A police spokesperson said Wilga was found "safe and well".
WA Police Inspector Martin Glynn said Wilga was found walking along a bush track at the edge of the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve by a member of the public.
"She is now en route to a hospital in Perth for some medical attention," he said at a media conference just after 5:30pm (NZ9.30pm).
"As you can imagine from the trauma she's suffered for the last few days, she's been obviously through a great deal.
"She does have some injuries, she's been ravaged by mosquitoes, she's been through an incredible journey of trauma.
"No doubt, [it] will be a testament to demonstrating her bravery in these circumstances."
The police plane carrying Wilga arrived at Perth's Jandakot Airport just before 6:30pm, and from there she was taken to hospital by ambulance for a check-up.
Carolina Wilga is taken to hospital after arriving at Jandakot airport.
Photo:
Supplied: ABC News / Tahlia Davis
Inspector Glynn said Wilga had been airlifted away from Beacon and her family had been notified of her wellbeing.
He said she was in a "fragile condition" and the conditions she endured would have been "a thousand times worse" than the difficult terrain searchers experienced.
"You always go out with the best of hope that you will find the person and obviously this is a great outcome for everyone involved," Inspector Glynn said.
"I think once we do hear her story it will be a remarkable story."
A red marker on a map where Carolina Wilga's broken down car was found.
Photo:
Supplied: Google Earth / ABC News
"She's coped in some amazing conditions, it's a very hostile environment out there both from flora and fauna … and the weather conditions have been really adverse with temperatures getting down to zero at night."
Inspector Glynn said while the backpacker had minor injuries, she did not appear to be seriously hurt.
WA Premier Roger Cook posted on social media at 5:45pm WST thanking those who assisted in the search.
"This news is nothing short of remarkable," he wrote.
"To our emergency services and everyone who searched, shared information, and supported the family through this ordeal - thank you.
"We're yet to have the full picture of what happened, but tonight, we can all breathe a little easier knowing Carolina is safe and well."
Wilga had been backpacking around Australia for the past two years and most recently was working on mine sites in regional WA.
- ABC