Missing people ate bush food to survive

A GROUP of ten people survived several days in the bush by eating bush tucker, baked beans and drinking water from a nearby stream

A group of ten people stranded in remote bushland near Bulman had to be rescued after their cars broke down or became bogged. They survived off tinned beans, bush tucker and water from a nearby stream. Picture: GOOGLE MAPS

A GROUP of ten people survived several days in the bush by eating bush tucker, baked beans and drinking water from a nearby stream.

Telina Cummings, 26, was one of the ten people to have become stuck in the scrub in remote Arnhem Land near Bulman earlier this week.

Ms Cummins, her partner Kurt Tipingwuti, 26, and uncle Esau Martin, 31, let family members in Bulman know they were heading out to go hunting for wild cattle before they set off at 9am Monday.

It was only meant to be a day trip but things quickly changed.

On the way out to their hunting spot they became bogged.

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She said they worked all day and night to try to free the car but eventually gave up once they had exhausted all of their options.

“Luckily for me I knew I was in good hands. Like I said, my family that live in Bulman, especially the men, have a lot of knowledge about the land that’s been passed down,” she said.

Once their food and water supply had depleted they found bush tucker and a nearby stream to drink from.

On Tuesday family members in Bulman became worried so seven people headed out in two cars to find them.

Ms Cummins said the party arrived between 11am and 12pm Tuesday and came with two bottles of water and some tin food of baked beans and corned beef.

The group managed to tow the bogged car out but, in the process, the car pulling them burnt out the clutch and the third car got bogged. Ms Cummins said the freed car then broke down.

On Wednesday the group decided to split up and make their way back to Bulman to get more help.

By this time police had started an aerial search of the area attempting to find the missing group.

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Ms Cummins said she and Mr Tipingwuti stayed with the car hoping they would be better spotted by an aerial search.

A helicopter found the group walking and picked up a member who led them to Ms Cummins and her partner.

Police found the party around 4pm.

They were taken to the Bulman Clinic for assessment.

Ms Cummins said they were all doing fine, apart from being a bit sore and having a few minor scratches.

She thanked police and the community for their help in searching for them.