‘Beyond surreal’: Missing pair share how spontaneous trip to Gunn Point ended in disaster

No water, no food, no phone, and no-one coming to help: A pair whose day trip went awry have shared how they survived out bush while the centre of a massive search effort in the Top End.

'If you're going to go missing, make sure you've got some better photos of yourself to share': On his return, Tom fashioned some images to help 'set the record straight' about what happened during their time out bush. Picture: Supplied.

Licking leaves for hydration, battling mozzies in every crevice, and rescue by amateur sleuths blaring Fortunate Son - a Top End pair whose misadventure sparked a massive search effort have shared how they survived almost 48 hours in the Top End bush.

Tom Sheridan, 32, and Tiffanie Huynh, 29, went missing when a spontaneous trip to Gunn Point left them bogged, without phone reception, and no one aware of their plans.

Between them they had a little bit of water, some leftover chips, and mints - plus an oblivious pet dog Ruby to care for.

About 5pm on December 8 Tiffanie, a vet, and Tom, a DJ, set off for a trip only meant to last a couple of hours.

Tiffanie and Tom were well and truly bogged. Picture: Supplied.

Exploring off road at Gunn Point, a popular fishing and camping spot an hour from Darwin, their car became stuck on the way out.

“We tried to getting it out for a good while, but it was getting dark, and we were in croc country, so we just set up camp and decided to try again in the morning,” Tom said.

The light of day didn’t do much to improve the situation.

“We tried everything: logs, sticks, gravel, the jack - anything to get under the tyres - but we were really bogged,” he said.

Tiffanie is a vet in the Darwin region. Pic: Supplied.

Stuck in an obscure part of Gunn Point, Tom and Tiffanie were not optimistic about being found any time soon.

“We started planning to be there a week, or even longer... even though we knew people would come looking for us, we knew that they wouldn’t know where to look,” he said.

The pair was conscious of not straying far from the car, but went searching for some bars of reception or any supplies that might help (leaving a note on the dash in case someone came by).

The heat of the day was spent sitting in the car air conditioning, listening to music on the radio.

Tom is a local DJ. Pic: Supplied.

They also set up rainwater collection points - at one point licking the water off leaves - and unsuccessfully tried to avoid a relentless assault from biting bugs.

Spirits were high, considering the circumstances - particularly for dog Ruby who seemed to think it was just a fun, poorly planned, and confusing camping trip.

“Thankfully Tom and I worked very well together, remained calm, and have solid practical and survival skills,” Tiffanie said.

Meanwhile in Darwin, friends were getting concerned.

Tiffanie’s housemate - who had only moved in a week prior - was the first to raise the alarm when she didn’t return home.

Tom, Tiffanie and pet dog Ruby were last seen at the Nightcliff Foreshore Cafe before their misadventure. Pic: Supplied.

By Monday a group chat with both Tom and Tiffanie’s friends had formed, the amateur detectives gathering evidence: Tom’s car left at the Foreshore Cafe, CCTV footage showing them there together, Tiffanie previously mentioning she’d like to check out Gunn Point.

Working in biosecurity, Tiffanie has friends surveying animals from helicopters, who by chance had flown over Gunn Point on Monday morning and noticed a car camping in a peculiar location, but not knowing Tiffanie was currently missing, thought nothing out of the ordinary.

The view from above of the SOS sign atop the stuck vehicle. Pic: Supplied.

Eventually, remembering that she had a can of spray paint in the car, Tiffanie wrote SOS on an assortment of picnic mats, before leaving one atop the tent - a moment she said was “beyond surreal”.

Come Tuesday, Tiffanie’s friends were front and centre of the search efforts, and, remembering the car they had seen - flew straight back to the location, this time spotting the unmissable call for help.

Good to have friends in choppers. Charlotte, Adam, and Matt hearing that the pair had been located

“We could see the helicopter and were shouting and waving at it, but it didn’t see us. We’d gone to some mud flats that were less covered by trees, and wrote SOS in the mud,” Tom said.

The location was shared with the search team on Tuesday morning, and the group chat mobilised.

wo of Tom’s friends hopped in a 4WD and headed out with recovery gear - Creedence Clearwater Revival on the stereo.

Others waited restlessly on nearby sealed roads.

Reunited, a warm embrace with Tiffanie, Danielle and Georgia.

“The police rescue people were on the way as well, so my mates came barreling down the road blaring Fortunate Son out of the speakers with the helicopter just above them - they all came down the road like the A-Team coming to rescue us,” Tom said.

“It was pretty cool, it felt like a little bit of a mirage, like - is this really happening right now? Because I wasn’t expecting my mates to turn up.”

Amaetur sleuths, friends for life L-R Jackson, Matt, Bart, Tom, Tiffanie with Ruby, Danielle, Nikki, Rachel, and Georgia.

Back home safe and sound (mozzie bites notwithstanding), Tom and Tiffanie emphasised the importance of being prepared, and telling someone your plans.

“Seems like a pretty extreme way to initiate myself into the 4WD club, but I’ll be better prepared next bog,” Tiffanie said.

“I’m sorry to have caused concern to so many people, but am grateful to be reminded of just how lucky I am to be alive, and to be surrounded by so much love. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Tom agreed: “It just shows what a really good community there is here.”

“Just make sure they’ve got better pictures of you to be sharing,” he said.