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News.com.au
7 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Truth about where backpacker went missing
A bush survival expert has warned Aussies to learn basic bush skills should they ever find themselves in a situation like German backpacker Carolina Wilga did. The 26-year-old, who was released from hospital on Wednesday, survived 12 days in the difficult terrain of Karroun Hill, at the edge of Western Australia's Wheatbelt. Ms Wilga had not been seen since June 29 and family in Germany had raised the alarm via Interpol when she failed to return their messages. After an extensive air and land search, she was found alive on the edge of Karroun Hill Nature Reserve by a local farmer. She was located barefoot 36 kilometres from her van, which she abandoned after it became bogged. Ms Wilga's survival has been described as 'extraordinary' by John Considine, a survival trainer at Bob Cooper Outback Survival, in Western Australia. 'Australia's wilderness is unforgiving and Carolina survived 11 nights which is absolutely magnificent,' he told While Ms Wilga is yet to explain how she survived an incredible 12 days in rugged bushland, Mr Considine said as a company that provides survival training, he could not emphasise enough the importance of being prepared before venturing out of the metro area. 'Anyone planning on leaving the bitumen and explore Australia's outback needs a comprehensive survival course,' he told 'There are other things that they can do to be prepared, like knowing your vehicle, carrying the requisite spares and the most important thing, telling someone where you're going, how long and when you're going to make contact again.' He said this is important because they can call for help if they don't hear from you in the time frame you provided. 'Summer would have been worse' Ms Wilga endured subzero temperatures and was 'ravaged' by mosquito bites while missing – she also lost 12kg in 12 days. Mr Considine said while winter would have its challenges like hyperthermia, the season would have also worked in her favour. 'It would have brought its own challenges because it's obviously cold, but she wouldn't have been losing water at the rate she would have if it had been in the summer,' he said. Mr Considine said if she had been rained on or got wet, she could likely have suffered from hypothermia. 'In Australia's desert environments, if you don't die of heatstroke during the day, you'll die of hyperthermia during the night,' he said. 'The interesting thing about the environment that she was in at Karroun Hill is that it's part of what's left of an enormous woodland forest – it's mostly eucalyptus and hakea, so really hard-leafed plants. 'It's a tough environment but in the particular location she was in, she may well have been able to find water. Even superficially. She ended up driving her vehicle down a granite outcrop which is where the earth's bedrock sticks up out of the soil. 'Now those features tend to carry water down into the surrounding earth. In winter, you often find superficial water (on the surface/puddles) and if it's not superficial you generally don't have to dig very far. In summer it's a different story.' Mr Considine said the water would generally be pretty safe. 'That's actually in the nature reserve, so in my estimation there's not a huge risk of E. coli or any of the other bacteria that are likely to occur in other areas,' he said. The survival bush expert said the human body can also go without food for weeks, but with water it depends on the environment and conditions. 'For example, if you're in a climate controlled hospital room doing absolutely nothing, you'll still need about 1.2 litres of water a day to maintain your basic bodily functions,' he explained. 'A sedentary modern male worker needs about 3.7 litres and a female is about 2.7 litres.' Maintaining mental clarity is just as important, as it can have negative impacts on your physical state. 'Any environmental stresses, anything that causes you to feel fear or panic or any of those emotions will cause you to lose more water,' Mr Considine said. He said until Ms Wilga comes out describing how much food and water she took from the vehicle when she set out on foot, is when they will have a better understanding of the challenges she faced. The 26-year-old was also 'ravaged' by mosquitoes but Mr Considine said, while it would have been extremely annoying, it's not life-threatening. 'If you contracted Ross River or another mosquito-borne viruses, that's potentially an issue,' he said, adding that snakes also wouldn't have presented much of an issue as it's winter. 'There's a risk, but there's a very, very small risk at this time of year,' he said. 'Snakes won't have come out of winter sleep yet, and if you make enough noise, they'll grow legs and run a mile. 'They really don't like being disturbed. And they'll only strike if they think that their life is in danger. The reality is there are very, very few environmental risks in terms of envenomation.' Mr Considine also spoke about Ms Wilga leaving her vehicle and the debate it sparked. Some questioned why she abandoned the vehicle, but the backpacker has since explained the reason. 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,' Ms Wilga said in a statement on Monday. 'The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.' Mr Considine said it really depends on the circumstances you're on whether you should leave or stay with your vehicle. 'I think the important thing to recognise from the statement she made was she had suffered a head injury – from that I think we can deduce that she made decisions that she might not otherwise have made,' he said. 'She likely would have been found a day earlier if she stayed with her van. 'She's been in Australia for two years, she has been a FIFO worker – she probably done more hard graft than most young Aussies do.' During training at Bob Cooper Outback Survival participants look at the fundamentals of survival in the outback – water, fire, shelter, signalling, and food. 'We look at how to get those things from the environment that we're in, how to source water, how to filter it, if not purify it, how to make fire by friction, so if you haven't got matches or a lighter you know what to do.'
ABC News
7 days ago
- ABC News
Carolina Wilga rescue turns spotlight on search for missing prospector Barry Podmore
As Western Australia's north-eastern Wheatbelt returns to its usual calm after the miracle survival of backpacker Caroline Wilga, a lone tracker continues his months-long search in the same area for a missing prospector. Barry Podmore, 73, was last seen in December, believed to have gone gold prospecting in the Karroun Hill area, 310km north-east of Perth. His car was found seven months later, locked and abandoned, by independent missing persons tracker Rick Heaton. The tracker and wilderness expert was engaged by the Podmore family, frustrated by the lack of progress in the ongoing search effort. Barry Podmore's daughter, Lauren, has described that find as "an absolute godsend", helping to narrow the search area and bringing the family one step closer to finding her father. "It's a constant grief and struggle that is hard to describe as, without finding him, there isn't that closure," Ms Podmore said. Prior to his disappearance, Ms Podmore said she and her father spoke twice a week. Her last contact was on December 5, the day before he left. His last message to her read: "Lauren dear Gal, I'm going out for the day tomorrow. So if you want, you can call me on your way home today." "It ended with a beer cheers emoji, a peace sign, and a laughing face," Ms Podmore said. Mr Heaton has spent months scouring the reserve for any signs of the missing prospector, focusing on an area about 70 kilometres east of where Ms Wilga was found last week. He said the bush around Karroun Hill holds unique elements to be wary of, including venomous snakes, boiling hot days in summer, and nights below freezing in winter. He said fallen woody vegetation in the area became sun hardened "like it's been in a kiln", and a fall or wrong step could cause injury. In the past week, one of Mr Heaton's vehicle tyres was spiked by a branch, and he has had many near-misses to his eyes. "You could end up on a mulga stick impaling yourself, you could get flicked in the eye by some of the timbers," he said. "The terrain in some areas is very thick, very slow going, very painful, it's very condensed desert oak." Mr Heaton believed the most likely explanation for Mr Podmore's disappearance was that the prospector made a simple mistake. "Generally, I think he's just walked away from his vehicle to do some prospecting, maybe collecting rocks, whatever his activity was," he said. "Then he may have gotten disoriented coming back." He said becoming disoriented and losing your car or campsite was easily done. "If you walk in the bush maybe 20 or 30 metres, you turn around once or twice and there's a bit of slope involved, you could be lost straight away," he said. "The further you walk, the further you're getting away from your vehicle." It is a warning echoed by Wheatbelt Police, who were in the area to search for Mr Podmore last week. Acting Inspector Martin Glynn described the terrain as "hostile", where the vegetation could reach 1.5 metres high, restricting visibility to only a few metres and making getting lost "easy". "Everything sort of looks the same but different, everywhere," he said. "You can try to navigate by the sun, but it's a very skilled and learned experience that most of us don't have." Mr Heaton said Mr Podmore's disappearance and Ms Wilga's ordeal should not discourage travel in isolated areas. But he said preparation and taking precautions were critical. The tracker highlighted basics such as up-to-date first aid, protective clothing, including safety glasses, as well as the right technology. "Do you have a personal locating beacon (PLB)? Satellite phones are great, however, they don't tell you where you are if you're lost," he said. "A PLB is a cheap device to save your life. Just activate it, sit in the open, and then the helicopter will come and get you."
News.com.au
15-07-2025
- News.com.au
Backpacker Carolina Wilga reveals what she lost during miracle survival in WA outback
A German backpacker who miraculously survived 12 days in the remote andunforgivingWestern Australian bush has revealed she lost 12kg during the ordeal. Carolina Wilga issued a statement on Monday thanking the community for their search efforts after she was last seen in a small Wheatbelt town on June 29. Sharing a picture on social media from her hospital bed, the backpacker was surrounded by pastries, chips, tea and food as she posed for the camera. 'When you need to gain the 12 kilograms back,' she captioned the social media image. Dressed in a Billabong shirt and holding a bouquet of flowers, Ms Wilga said 'thanks to the German Consulate' for the gifts she received. In her first statement since the ordeal, the 26-year-old explained she got lost after losing control of her car, suffering a significant hit to her head in the accident leaving her in a state of confusion. 'First and foremost, I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart – a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul! For all the incredible supports during the search for me,' Ms Wilga said. Sharing the message from hospital, Ms Wilga said she was 'grateful to have survived', thanking her 'rescuer' and 'angel' Tania Henley who found her walking along the road on July 11. Authorities located Ms Wilga's car stuck in soft sand in Karroun Hill last week with no sign of the backpacker herself. Ms Wilga revealed she left her car in a state of confusion after a crash becoming lost in the remote nature reserve. 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,' Ms Wilga said. 'The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.' Reflecting on her experience, Ms Wilga said despite being far from home she now feels deeply connected to the community that rallied around her during her ordeal. 'Previously, I didn't know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it. I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here. 'Western Australia has taught me what it really means to be part of a true community. Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter – and in the end, that's what counts most. 'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support. The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. 'Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. 'My deepest thanks also go to every single person who simply thought of me.'
Daily Mail
14-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'Mosquitoes are more dangerous than dingoes' and other Outback secrets that could save your life if you're lost like backpacker Carolina Wilga - as she's now hounded by online trolls
A top bush survival expert has revealed the extraordinary survival instincts that likely saved a missing German backpacker who was miraculously found alive after 12 days lost in the unforgiving Western Australian outback. Carolina Wilga, 26, vanished last month when her van became bogged in remote bushland, 35km from the nearest track, sparking a massive land and air search. Now tracker Jake Cassar says her survival beat the incredible odds stacked against anyone lost in the outback, where mosquitoes are more dangerous than dingoes - and even crying can kill you. But a spare tyre could mean the difference between life and death, he said. 'The biggest threat for Carolina would have been hypothermia,' Mr Cassar told Daily Mail Australia. 'If she had been caught in a shower and got wet, she may not have survived the night. 'Next is dehydration. Don't worry about food, you can go a month without food, but water is essential. 'You should be able to survive three days without it, but if it's hot you won't, and if it's cold you won't and even if you cry too much, your tears will dehydrate you faster.' After a week-long air and land search, WA Police discovered Ms Wilga's Mitsubishi Delica van abandoned in the Karroun Hill nature reserve at 1.10pm on Thursday, about 100km north of where she was last seen. Despite growing fears for her safety, just one day later, a member of the public found her limping along a bush track close to her van and raised the alarm. Ms Wilga suffered minor injuries and had been 'ravaged by mosquitoes' but was in surprisingly good shape when found despite being barefoot in the rugged bush. She was caught on camera with a scarf wrapped around one injured foot and the other still bare as she got into a plane that airlifted her to Royal Perth Hospital. According to Mr Cassar, common misconceptions about the dangers of the Australian bush often lead people astray. While most fear notorious Australian wildlife like snakes and dingoes, he says mosquitoes and sandflies can pose a far greater threat. 'Unless you are injured or trapped under your car or something like that, a dingo isn't going to be too much of an issue,' he said. 'You should stomp as you walk to alert snakes, but being bitten by mosquitoes or sandflies is more problematic. 'If you get bitten badly, it stresses you out — and stress leads to dehydration and drags your morale down.' Mr Cassar says maintaining mental clarity and morale is just as important as shelter and water. 'It's well documented that if your stress levels are going through the roof, if you're playing out the worst-case scenario and wondering if you're going to be found, it only gets worse physically,' Mr Cassar said. 'You need to stay even. Celebrate your wins. If you find water, that's a win, let that feel good. Keep positive. 'But at the same time don't pretend it's not happening, just don't allow it to break you mentally.' Even after her rescue though, Ms Wilga's ordeal isn't over. On Monday, Ms Wilga broke her silence from her hospital bed as she recovered from her ordeal to thank everyone in involved in her incredible rescue and survival. But the aspiring yoga instructor has now become the target of cruel online trolls, with critics questioning the story of her survival and why she left her vehicle. 'I can smell a Netflix deal, everyone knows you stay with your car,' said one. 'I bet there is a book and TV show announcement soon,' added another. But despite the backlash, Mr Cassar says her experience highlights the very real dangers of Australia's outback and how defying the rules saved her. 'She went to get water and managed to find a puddle, which probably kept her alive so it was the right thing to do, but it looks like she got lost or disorientated after,' he said. 'She should have left markers, like sticks or rocks to find her way back to the vehicle. 'Staying with the car means you are easier to find and you can help the search party too. 'Starting a fire nearby will help you keep warm and make you more visible for people to spot you from the air.' And when all else fails, he says one simple but powerful tool could save your life. 'If you're in a desperate situation, set fire to the spare tyre,' he said. 'It's rubber, it's flammable, and the thick black smoke can be seen from kilometres away.' Mr Cassar teaches his Bushcraft survival course on the NSW Central Coast and said it is essential for anyone planning on travelling in remote areas to learn the basics of bush food and safety. 'People should do a basic survival course before they go on these trips and it should be mandatory in all schools,' he warns. 'The amount of times I get called out to help with searches and it's too late. 'You don't hear about that so much but unfortunately that's more common.' Jake Cassar's top survival tips if you're lost in the bush Stay with your vehicle If you have to leave to search for water you should walk in a straight line as far as you can, marking your path with rocks and sticks to ensure you can retrace your steps. If you don't find any, then repeat the process in a different direction. Signal Mirror If you don't have a mirror then rip off the wing mirror or rear vision mirror and take it somewhere where you can see the sun. Move the mirror until until you catch a reflection on a tree or rock, then adjust it to signal aircraft, especially if you see a helicopter. Make a fire A fire is essential to keeping warm and attracting attention with smoke. Be careful and clear a space and make a ring of rocks to contain it if possible. Your spare tyre will catch alight quickly but keep your distance in case it explodes. Shelter If you become lost while walking and do not have a vehicle, try to find shelter. A cave will help protect you and and help regulate your body temperature. Leave a trail If you have to leave your vehicle, make sure you can find your way back to it again. Leave rocks at the foot of trees or put sticks in the ground. If rescuers find your vehicle, this trail will also help lead them to your new location.
CNN
14-07-2025
- CNN
German tourist describes 12-day ordeal, lost in Australian wilderness
A German backpacker who survived 12 days lost in Australia's remote outback has said she is 'beyond grateful to have survived.' In her first public statement since being found alive on Friday, 26-year-old Carolina Wilga said she 'hit her head significantly' when she crashed her car and became lost after abandoning it in 'a state of confusion.' Wilga was found alive on Friday afternoon, nearly two weeks after she disappeared in the bushland. According to the Associated Press, the crew of a police helicopter spotted her vehicle Thursday in wilderness in the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, 36 kilometers (22 miles) north of the town of Beacon. 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,' she wrote in a statement released by Western Australia Police Force on Monday. 'The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.' Wilga's message, shared by Western Australia Police Force on Facebook, expressed thanks to those who searched for her, as well as to medical staff and the German consulate. 'I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart — a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul,' she said. 'The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.' According to AP, Western Australia Police Force Inspector Martin Glynn said a member of the public found her wandering on a forest trail late Friday. She was in a 'fragile' state but had no serious injuries and was flown to a hospital in Perth for treatment, Glynn told reporters. 'You know, she's obviously coped in some amazing conditions,' he said. 'There's a very hostile environment out there, both from flora and fauna. It's a really, really challenging environment to cope in.' The reserve where Wilga was lost covers more than 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres), according to AP.
