Luke Shambrook getting back on track as mum says he may have walked 20km

HE’S still nursing sore feet and sleeping long hours, but bush survivor Luke Shambrook this week took a major step in his return to a normal life.

Luke Shambrook returns to school and enjoys a music class after his ordeal of being lost in the bush for four days near Lake Eildon. Thursday, April 16. 2015. Picture: David Crosling

HE’S still nursing sore feet and sleeping long hours, but bush survivor Luke Shambrook this week took a major step in his return to a normal life.

Luke, whose five-day ordeal in remote Victorian bushland made international headlines, has come back to the classroom at Dandenong Valley Special Development School.

It is a quick return which has pleased his parents Rachel and Tim after his extraordinary experience in the wild.

The boy is back on his trampoline, pushing mum and dad to visit the local park and riding his bike in further signs his health is fast recovering.

“He’s had an excellent start to getting back to a normal routine,” said mum Rachel. She spoke as a new fund was launched to help Luke’s rescuers and his future needs.

His family still knows little more about what he endured lost in the Lake ­Eildon area.

Luke, who has autism, has been unable to convey what went on out there. “He understands much more than he’s able to express, but it is unlikely we will ever be able to piece together all of what happened,” Mrs Shambrook said.

Subsequent medical testing and Luke’s parents’ knowledge of his behaviour led them to believe he is likely to have walked long distances.

Mrs Shambrook said it was quite possible her son had covered between 10km and 20km after disappeared on Good Friday at the start of a family camping trip.

She said his creatine kinase level, which gives some indication of the degree of muscle breakdown, had been high in the period after he returned. His feet are still sore, another apparent legacy of walking long distances in tough terrain.

The family believes Luke would have barely slept for the five days. Mrs Shambrook said he was a tough, resilient child who did not “spin out” (in fear) easily and would have just kept on the move.

“At best he would have sat on the ground and had a power-nap then got up and started again,” she said.

Other family members have started a fund via the gofundme.com website to raise money for emergency services and assist with Luke’s ongoing special needs.

“We’re incredibly grateful to all of the emergency services — Victoria Police, the search and rescue squad, Bush Search and Rescue, the State Emergency Service and Country Fire Authority, the community and volunteers. Many of the volunteer emergency services need community support,” Mrs Shambrook said.

Relative Kim Wheeler, who was on the Easter camping trip, said Luke would soon require expensive post-surgical care unrelated to his ordeal.

On a more basic level, he desperately wants a new bicycle which must be modified for his needs.

To help Luke, visitgofundme.com/s92jk6k

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