Man resorts to drinking out of puddles and eating grass to survive in rugged terrain

Police have warned day-trippers in far north Queensland to be prepared for a worst-case scenario after a man had to eat grass to survive.

A man who spent three days lost in rugged terrain, drinking water out of puddles and eating grass to survive in a tropical rainforest in far north Queensland, has opened up about his harrowing ordeal.

Andrew Nielsen and his 10-year-old cattle dog Jasper set out on a leisurely trail bike ride at Flaggy Creek Trail via Quaid Road, about 30km north west of Cairns, on February 3.

Torrential rain threw the 50-year-old motorcyclist off his intended path, leaving him and Jasper lost in a rainforest at Kuranda for days.

Andrew Nielsen and his cattle dog Jasper reunited after a harrowing three days lost in a rainforest. Picture: Supplied

With no food and little water, Mr Nielsen chewed grass and drank from puddles as he wandered aimlessly along walking trails trying to find his way out.

“I had water for the first day, after the big rainstorm … so for the next two days I had to scrounge. I found a muddy puddle and drank out of that,” he said.

“And then I started eating grass.”

Mr Nielsen said a massive storm changed the landscape of the hilly terrain and led to him being lost. The terrain was so steep his motorbike could not cope.

“I was on a gentle ride with my dog on a slow motorbike and I went exploring on trails I had never been on before and it was all going well until I hit the rain,” he said.

Andrew Nielsen tied his cattle dog Jasper to his motorbike as he walked off to try to find his way out of a rainforest in far north Queensland. Picture: Supplied

“The red dirt turned into red ice and because of the steepness of the hills and mountains … at the time the rain hit I was actually in a valley between three hills, I could not get out.

“I used a lot of fuel to try and get up these massive big hills and worked out I couldn’t do it … I was stuck.”

Mr Nielsen said he sat out the night waiting for the rain to stop but couldn’t sleep because he was being constantly bitten by mosquitoes.

“I waited for a few hours in the morning, hopefully for things to dry … I tried walking the bike up these massively steep hills and couldn’t,” he said.

“I went up through a few waterways, up some major hills that I had come back through, and then I got stuck in the jungle.

“My dog was tired by this point because he had not eaten the night before or in the morning … so I left him there … with the bike and thought I would walk in and get some fuel in my vehicle.”

Reunited: Andrew Nielsen hugs his cattle dog Jasper, who spent four days in the rainforest before being found by volunteer searchers on motor bikes. Picture: Supplied

However, the torrential rain had wiped all his distinctive tyre marks that he had been “using as a breadcrumb” trail.

He then walked hiking tracks in the hope of getting back to his car but often backtracked as he took one mistaken track after another.

“The start of each track is similar … so you walk and walk until you find until you find a difference and then walk back kilometres, walk to the next track,” Mr Nielsen said.

While he wandered around trying to get out of the rainforest, he could hear the emergency workers who had launched a massive search and rescue operation.

After three days of scouring the area, Mr Nielsen was eventually spotted by a helicopter, some 9km northwest of where his vehicle was parked on February 5.

Jasper was found the following day by volunteer motorcyclists in good spirits.

Safe and sound, Andrew Nielsen tucks into burger as his cattle dog Jasper looks on. Picture: Supplied

“To those guys especially, who brought him home safe, thank you … that was an unbelievable effort … Thank you all very much”, a grateful Mr Nielsen said.

Inspector Andrew Cowie said there was a lesson to be learned for anyone who sets out on a hiking trail, even for a day trip, to be prepared for a worst-case scenario.

He said hikers should have appropriate resources as well as a personal locator beacon, supplies and first-aid kits.

“That includes preparing yourself for the journey by having a plentiful water supply, food and ideally an emergency position indicating radio beacon,” he said.

“It’s best to let someone know where you are going and provide an estimated time of return too,” Inspector Cowie said.

“We ask that people reduce the risk on everyone, including themselves, by having those resources with them when they go out.”