‘A remarkable story’: German backpacker Carolina Wilga found safe in WA outback

German backpacker Carolina Wilga has been found safe nearly two weeks after going missing in the West Australian outback.

She was discovered by a member of the public late on Friday afternoon even as police prepared to wrap up the day’s search operation at sunset and to resume on Saturday.

Wheatbelt Inspector Martin Glynn said Wilga had been found walking on a bush track on the edge of the remote reserve on the edge of the region.

Glynn said Wilga was airlifted to Perth to be treated in hospital for “significant minor injuries” sustained during her time in the bush.

“She’s been obviously through a great deal. She does have some injuries. She’s been ravaged by mosquitoes,” Glynn said.

“She’s obviously been through an amazing journey, a trauma, and no doubt will be a testimony demonstrating her bravery in the circumstances out there.”

Wilga’s family in Germany had been notified of the development, Glynn said, but police still had little indication of how she came to be so lost.

“She’s just obviously in quite a fragile condition at the moment,” he said.

“I think once we do hear her story, it will be a remarkable story. She’s obviously coped in some amazing conditions.

A recent photo of Carolina Wilga.Credit: Facebook

“There’s very hostile environment out there, both from flora and fauna. It’s a really, really challenging environment to cope in.”

She has been transported to Fiona Stanley Hospital for assessment.

After she went missing in late June, Wilga’s family raised concerns with police in Germany, who notified Interpol.

The agency then contacted WA Police, who began searching on July 4.

By that stage, she had already been missing for five days.

A sighting was established at a tiny outback town general store on June 29, and her Mitsubishi Delica van was found on Thursday afternoon in a nature reserve.

Police helicopters, airplanes and drones all searched the area as well as a foot search.

Earlier on Friday, Glynn told media the van had probably become bogged.

“She’s used the [recovery boards] that came with the vehicle ... as it looks like she’s gone into a soft pile of mud,” he said.

Wilga’s Mitsubishi Delica van was found abandoned in the Karroun Hill area.Credit: WA Police

“She seems to have dragged some pieces of wood over to try and create a solid base to get the vehicle out, but there was no luck.”

Glynn said tourists rarely entered the area.

“It’s a wonderful class A nature reserve and is full of rich and diverse flora and fauna but is certainly not one of the classic visiting areas,” he said.

WA Police Acting Inspector Jessica Securo said it “would be easy to become lost or disorientated in that area if you didn’t know it well”.

WA Premier Roger Cook praised the efforts of emergency services after Wilga’s “remarkable” rescue.

“We’re yet to have the full picture of what happened, but tonight, we can all breathe a little easier knowing Carolina is safe and well,” he posted to social media.

Officers had been retracing Wilga’s steps in the days following her disappearance.

She left a Fremantle backpackers’ on June 28 and left a voice message for a friend that indicated she was leaving Perth.

On the same day, a CCTV camera captured her buying petrol in Toodyay, a small town north-east of Perth, before police believe she drove about 200 kilometres east to the town of Beacon.

Beacon is on the north-eastern edge of the Wheatbelt and has a population of just 123 people.

It acts mainly as a service centre for surrounding farms.

Wilga arrived on June 29 and was captured on a CCTV camera attempting to enter a closed general store.

Police believe from there she continued travelling east to Wialki, a tiny townsite about 30 kilometres from Beacon.

Overnight temperatures around the Beacon area at this time of year can drop as low as 2 degrees.

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