Desperate message in mud leads to miracle outback flood rescue

A man lost for two days in flood-ravaged western Queensland has been dramatically rescued after writing “HELP” in the mud with a stick, before walking 60km.

A man lost for two days in flood-ravaged western Queensland after his 4WD became bogged has been dramatically rescued after building himself a makeshift shelter and writing “HELP” in the mud with a stick.

He was found after walking 60km by cattle and goat farmers checking their stock and fences. They saw his scrawled plea and an arrow pointing rescuers in his direction on a muddy road at the end of their driveway.

The LifeFlight rescue helicopter service, which was on standby in Charleville for flood evacuations, launched a search and rescue mission for the man after he failed to arrive home last Friday night.

The LifeFlight rescue helicopter service, which was on standby in Charleville for flood evacuations, launched a search and rescue mission for the man after he failed to arrive home last Friday night.

Despite an initial search on Sunday, the man could not be found, but a few hours later, his remarkable story of survival took a twist.

By the time the crew arrived back at the airport, he had been found by a couple around 200km southeast of Charleville and required medical attention. LifeFlight was then tasked by Retrieval Services Queensland to transport the man.

“The man walked for around 60km and with aching feet and severe dehydration thought to write ‘HELP’ in the muddy road with a stick,” a LifeFlight spokesman said.

“He then scribed a large arrow pointing in the direction he was headed.”

Part of a makeshift shelter the man made.

Enter Bronte and Max who manage a 60,000ha cattle and goat station. Flooded in on the remote property, they set out Sunday morning to check their cattle and fences.

Driving the 10km to the end of their driveway, they checked their mailbox and noticed large letters etched into the muddy road.

Earlier they had seen a missing person alert on the Queensland Police Facebook page and heard the story on the radio.

“It gives me the shivers when I think about the ‘HELP’ sign he drew in the mud on the road. If he hadn’t done that, we wouldn’t have found him,” Bronte said.

“We were checking flood waters and the property fences to make sure the cattle were OK when we saw the sign on the road.

“Near the help sign were these arrows in the mud and we followed them all the way along the road. As we came around a sharp bend near an old stock route, we saw a little shelter with a tee pee made from an old lick feeder tub.

“I pulled up and said ‘are you (name suppressed)’. He said ‘yes’ and I said ‘my God, do you know that you’re a missing person and that everyone is looking for you’? He pointed at the shelter and said ‘yes’.

“He looked completely exhausted and was sunburnt and dehydrated. He said all he could think about was sleeping for two weeks.”

A message in the mud led to the miracle rescue.

The man told Bronte he had survived on protein drinks – one each day. After taking him back to their farmhouse, he was given water, food and first aid.

“He was very sore, and his feet were numb. I made him some vegemite on crackers and gave him some Panadol and water,” Bronte said.

Bronte and Max then called emergency services and were told that a LifeFlight rescue helicopter was on its way from Charleville.

The couple then offered to tow the man’s 4WD out of the boggy pit where he had left it two days earlier.

LifeFlight rescue crew officer Zane Jones recalled how they were tasked with the search and rescue on Sunday at 1pm to a location where the man’s phone had last pinged. However, after scouring the area, there was no trace.

About an hour after landing back at Charleville Airport, the crew received the miracle call that he had been found.

“He was very lucky to be found and had been missing since Friday,” Mr Jones said.

LifeFlight flight paramedic Aaron Hartle assessed the man after the helicopter had landed out the front of the property.

“We were dispatched as he was reported to be dehydrated and delirious and we were to transport him back to Charleville Hospital where he could be reunited with his family,” Mr Hartle said.

“He’s probably walked around 60km trying to find help. It’s a remarkable survival story.

“He was extremely tired and absolutely wrecked. He was just relieved that he was found and going back to his family, but also couldn’t believe the situation he was in.”

After a successful mission to fly the man safely to hospital, Mr Hartle said Max and Bronte were the real rescue heroes.

“They found the guy that the police have been looking for since Friday,” he said.

“They did the rescuing, gave him food, got his vehicle out of the bog and looked after him until we got there. They did a remarkable job – typical western Queenslanders, dismissive of their own actions to help someone in need.”

The man was recovering in hospital on Tuesday.

“It still gives me the shivers just thinking about it, he’s very lucky,” Bronte said.

Originally published as Desperate message in mud leads to miracle outback flood rescue