Caroline Wilga's Odyssey: How to survive in the Australian bush?

A German backpacker survives eleven days alone in the Australian outback – and is causing a stir in Australia.

Carolina Wilga's days-long odyssey in the Australian bush not only made headlines around the world, but also sparked debate among locals. For the Australian public and the authorities, the rescue of the German backpacker is nothing short of a miracle.

"It's pure luck that she survived," said Detective Inspector Jessica Securo at a press conference on Saturday. Wilga had only "minimal amounts of food and water" in her car. "The terrain is outback country with large rocky outcrops. Although there are several tracks, it's easy to get lost or disoriented in this area if you're not familiar with it."

Relief prevails on social media: Countless Australians expressed their joy that the German backpacker was able to survive in the bush for eleven days. But amidst the congratulations, there are also numerous well-intentioned pieces of advice and warnings about how to better prepare for travel in the remote and often unforgiving expanses of the Australian outback.

The 26-year-old, who had been traveling through Australia for two years and is from Castrop-Rauxel, was last seen in Beacon on June 29. The town is located in the so-called Western Australian wheatbelt – a sparsely populated region known for its grain production. Since then, her trail was lost until her vehicle was discovered on Thursday in the wilderness of the vast Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, about 300 kilometers northeast of Perth.

She wandered alone through the bush for eleven days after her car, according to authorities, went off the road due to a mechanical breakdown and got stuck. Wilga spent the first night in her car, but then decided to walk west, believing it would be a quicker way to reach a road and help.

Wilga covered a total of 24 kilometers – under extreme conditions. She had to contend with pouring rain, sub-zero temperatures at night, and the blazing sun during the day. To survive, she drank rainwater and water from puddles, sought shelter in caves, and oriented herself by the position of the sun, according to Australian media reports.

Her trip finally came to a happy end: The starving and exhausted backpacker was able to attract the attention of a female driver. Tania Henley, who finally found Wilga, described the dramatic situation on the news program "9 News." "She's indestructible," Henley said. Wilga was barefoot. It takes a lot of determination to survive like that. The Australian emphasized how remote her location was: "It could have taken days for someone else to come along."

Western Australia's Premier, Roger Cook, used the incident to issue a warning to travelers. "Everyone should be aware that this is an example of how dangerous our bushland and outback can be," Cook told the press on Sunday. "And anyone traveling to Western Australia should always be mindful of this. If you are planning extended trips to the Western Australian region, please take the necessary precautions," Cook said. Emergency radios are especially important when traveling to remote areas without cell phone reception.