Michelle Melbourne, Nikita Bennett relive ordeal after fossicking trip goes wrong

Unheard and unseen by rescuers, a lost Queensland mother and daughter were forced to endure two nights of sub-zero temperatures after a fun fossicking trip turned into a harrowing ordeal. This is their story.

A mother and daughter‘s birthday fossicking trip at Nanango turned into a harrowing two-day survival mission.

A mother and daughter birthday fossicking trip near Nanango quickly turned into a harrowing two-day ordeal last month.

When local residents Michelle Melbourne, 54, and Nikita Bennett, 36, embarked on a trip to Seven Mile Diggings on Friday, June 23, little did they know their fun day trip would become a tale of survival.

Ms Melbourne, a baker at the Twisted Whisk coffee shop in Nanango, said she had been fossicking in the area before and she and Nikita were not planning on going too far, but then somehow found themselves at the bottom of an unfamiliar hill soon after setting out.

“The panic started to set in when we realised we were lost,” Ms Melbourne said.

”We tried to retrace our steps back along the creek, but nothing seemed familiar,” she said.

The pair, who had left their mobile phones in the car, climbed up a cliff and a hill in an attempt to spot the vehicle, but were not successful.

“We were following the creek but it winds around and we realised we were going the wrong way,” Ms Melbourne said.

7 Mile Diggings at Nanango, where Michelle Melbourne, 54, and Nikita Bennett, 36 lost their bearings and became lost for two nights.

“As it started to get dark my legs started cramping uncontrollably and I couldn’t walk.

“We stumbled across an old deer watching hut and huddled together for the night, it was freezing and we only had an apple and orange each,” she said.

The night was long and cold but they survived.

The next morning, Ms Bennett’s blood pressure rose and she began vomiting uncontrollably.

Ms Melbourne said she walked down to the creek to bring some water back to Ms Bennett, who was weak and cold.

Michelle Melbourne, 54, and Nikita Bennett, 36, took a fossicking trip outside of Nanango that turned into a harrowing two-day survival mission.

“I was becoming weak and the cramps in the legs were not helping me to walk, but I got down to where I could see water,” Ms Melbourne said.

“We had heard motorbikes and what I thought were people, but my cries for help were unheard.

“We were in the path of a helicopter twice and thought that they saw us, then I spelt out SOS on the ground with the sticky notes I found in our bag,” she said.

But no rescuers came, and on Saturday night the pair huddled together again in the hut.

“We cried to ourselves but we never blamed anyone for our silliness, we were just there for each other,” Ms Melbourne said.

“I said I would never leave her, no matter what happened,” she said.

On Sunday morning, Ms Melbourne went to find water and heard the “familiar sound of a Cooee mountain bike”.

“I just kept yelling, hoping someone would hear me,” Ms Melbourne said.

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It was them about 7.45am, the two women were found by mountain bike riders David Layton, Brad Warwick and Peter Notley.

Michelle Melbourne with David Layton, Brad Warwick and Peter Notley, who heard her cries for help.

A rescue crew was called.

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“I was found and given water before we headed up the hill back to Nikita; the rescue crew helped me a lot as I was quite weak,” she said.

Ms Bennett and Ms Melbourne were flown to Kingaroy Hospital and treated for dehydration and exhaustion.

Reflecting on their ordeal, Michelle urged others to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.

“Always carry a phone and be equipped for emergencies,” she said.

“As a family it has brought us together closer and I am sorry for the trouble we put everyone through.

“The waterfall further down the canyon was masking our cries for help and I was told by the rescuers my voice was bouncing around,” she said.

Ms Melbourne and Ms Bennett said they reflected upon 28-year-old missing Proston man, Luke Fergusson, while they were lost.

“I thought about how alone he must be feeling, while I had my daughter for company,” Ms Melbourne said.

“I hope he is found safe and sound, I feel for his family,” she said.

Luke went missing on June 9, and despite an extensive month-long search, has never been found. The search, which was carried on by his mother and the South Burnett community after authorities called off the initial intensive search, was suspended on July 12.

Originally published as Michelle Melbourne, Nikita Bennett relive ordeal after fossicking trip goes wrong