Woman stranded in Australian wilderness survives thanks to wine, candy

Australian authorities last week rescued a woman stranded for five days in the wilderness after she was forced to survive on what she had, including a bottle of wine and lollipops. 

Footage of the rescue shows Melbourne native Lillian Ip, 48, waving down a helicopter near her car before authorities arrived May 4. 

Ip was apparently traveling from the southern city to an area known as Dartmouth Dam in northwest Victoria April 30 before she took a wrong turn and got her car stuck in mud. 

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“While trying to turn around and backtrack, the Cheltenham woman’s car became bogged in mud, and without mobile coverage she wasn’t able to call for help,” the Wodonga Police Station said in a statement Friday, referring to the Melbourne suburb Ip is from. 

She found herself stranded some 37 miles from the nearest town.

“Due to health issues, she was unable to try and walk for help so she stayed with her car,” Wodonga Police Station Sgt. Martin Torpey said. “She used great common sense to stay with her car and not wander off into bushland, which assisted in police being able to find her.”

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Torpey said Ip was only planning on a short day trip to the northern area in the state of Victoria and did not have any water in her car, relying on a few “lollies” and snacks to sustain her. 

“The only liquid Lillian, who doesn’t drink, had with her was a bottle of wine she had bought as a gift for her mother so that got her through,” the station sergeant said. “While she couldn’t move her car, she was able to use the heater overnight (to) give her some warmth.”

“After being lost in the bush for five days, she was extremely relieved and grateful to see us, and we were just as happy to see her,” he added. 

The 48-year-old was taken to a hospital for observation and to be treated for dehydration.