William, 17, whose surname has been withheld, was dropped off by his mother for a weekend camping outing with a friend in eastern Victoria last Friday. The incident began when he failed to return from retrieving additional equipment, prompting authorities to declare him missing at around 4 p.m.
The teenager was wearing only shorts and work boots and had left behind his phone, food supplies, and water. After becoming lost following an incorrect turn on a trail, William slipped and fell down a cliff, ending up sheltering under bushes during the night.
Campsite Survival: Food, Water, and Solace
William survived without modern gear by rationing a packet of chicken-flavoured chips over several days and drinking water directly from a creek near Walhalla — about 130 km east of Melbourne. He described the nights as 'pretty cold' and noted that it rained at times, with hot daytime conditions leading to significant sunburn.
In interviews, he said John Denver’s song 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', which repeats the line ‘take me home, to the place I belong’, was a childhood favourite that provided emotional comfort during long, lonely nights in the wilderness. He recalled beginning to sing it one night after feeling overwhelmed by isolation, saying: 'It brings me great comfort. I started doing it one night, made me feel OK, so I just kept doing it.'
Rescue and Medical Response
The search operation involved more than 100 personnel, including police dogs, ground teams, and aerial units from the air wing. William was located on Thursday morning lying down in an open area near a creek.
Pilot Dave Wylie described the terrain as extremely dense — thick enough that visibility of the forest floor is limited. He noted that if William had been sheltering in closed vegetation or under cover, crews could have flown right past him without detection: 'A lot of the areas are so thick that you can’t actually see the forest floor… we absolutely could have flown right past him.' The fact he was in an exposed location increased the chances of being spotted during search flights.
Emotional Reunion and Recovery
After rescue, William shared a deeply emotional reunion with his mother, Elizabeth Barkley. She told reporters she was 'over the moon' and said her son would never leave home again. He described their embrace as the 'best moment of my life', adding humorously that his mother now gives him a firm look from across the room — implying no future outdoor adventures are expected.
William reported feeling ‘pure euphoria’ upon seeing the helicopter overhead before being airlifted to safety. After receiving medical care at Traralgon Hospital for dehydration, he stated on Friday afternoon that he was in stable condition and had enjoyed a good night’s sleep in a bed. He added: 'I’m over the moon to be safe. I honestly didn’t think I’d make it six days.'
Barkley said she couldn't believe how well her son managed such an ordeal despite his physical vulnerability. She described him as 'tough' and 'very fit', noting that he missed a turn on a track and curled up under bushes when darkness fell — but still maintained awareness of being alive.
She expressed deep faith during those days, stating: 'I knew in my heart … I was just praying, and praying, and praying'.
The incident highlights the dangers of bushwalking without proper guidance or emergency preparedness. William’s survival is attributed to both personal resilience and luck — including sheltering in an open area where search teams could detect him from above.