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“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,” said Wodonga Police Station Sgt. Martin Torpey in a statement following the incident. “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.”

A local police van was directed by the helicopter that was conducting a sweep of the area to her location where she was located alive and well, police said.

Lillian had been attempting to drive to Dartmouth Dam when she hit a dead-end road at the end of Yankee Point Track and realized she had taken a wrong turn, according to authorities. But when she tried to turn around and backtrack to where she came from, her car became stuck in some mud and she was unable to call for help due to lack of mobile phone coverage in the area.

“She was only planning a short-day trip so had only taken a couple of snacks and [candy] 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,” Torpey said.

\"PHOTO:
Facebook / Wodonga Police
PHOTO: A woman is lucky to be alive after she was stranded for five days in thick Australian bushland and managed to survive on some candy and a bottle of wine, police said.
>

“While she couldn’t move her car, she was able to use the heater overnight to give her some warmth,” Torpey continued. “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.”

Lillian was subsequently taken to the hospital for observation and to be treated for dehydration suffered from her five-day ordeal. She is expected to fully recover.

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