An Australian woman who went missing for five days in the bush has spoken for the first time about her ordeal after she survived on a bottle of wine and a fruit box.
Holidaymaker Lillian Ip, 48, was spotted in the wilderness five days after her car got stuck in the mud.
The woman - who doesn't drink - was lost around 60 kilometres away from the nearest town with only a blanket, fruit box, and a bottle of wine that she was expecting to give to her mother.
"I'm an adventure person, but next time I'll be better prepared," she said.
"I thought I was going to die out there. My whole body shut down on Friday."
Ip spoke to Australia's Nine News and described her ordeal.
"I'm just sitting there thinking, what am I going to do, how am I going to survive this?"
She said she was about to give up the day before she was found by a rescue helicopter.
Wodonga Police Sergeant Martin Torpey said the woman used "great common sense" to not wander off.
“Lillian was found a good 60km away from the nearest town and due to health issues she was unable to try and walk for help so stayed with her car,” he said in a statement.
"She used great common sense to stay with her car and not wander off into bushland, which assisted in police being able to find her.
"She was only planning a short-day trip so had only taken a couple of snacks and lollies with her but no water.
"The only liquid Lillian, who doesn’t drink, had with her was a bottle of wine she had bought as a gift for her mother so that got her through.
"While she couldn’t move her car, she was able to use the heater overnight give her some warmth. After being lost in the bush for five days, she was extremely relieved and grateful to see us and we were just as happy to see her.”
Ip was taken to hospital for observation and was treated for dehydration.
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