Carolina Wilga: Roger Cook issues reminder to travellers after German backpacker’s outback survival tale

Carolina Wilga’s dramatic tale of survival has prompted authorities to remind eager travellers of the importance of carrying life-saving equipment when exploring WA.

The 26-year-old German backpacker’s efforts to brave the elements for 11 nights after her van became bogged in the Karroun Hill nature reserve has been celebrated, after she was found alive by a Wheatbelt resident on Friday afternoon.

Premier Roger Cook on Sunday said the community should “give thanks” that Ms Wilga was alive, but warned other travellers of getting themselves into similar scenarios.

“I’m not going to speculate on on the wisdom of her trek, but obviously she took some precautions . . . when you go out into the wilderness by yourself, you are taking a very high risk, and it’s important that you prepare for the conditions, and we know that in regional WA, in the outback, it can be very dangerous, and it can become dangerous very quickly, he said.

“Everyone, please just take note, this could have ended differently — this could have ended with a tragic loss of life and under very distressing circumstances.

“Today, we have a success story, an opportunity to celebrate Carolina’s survival.”

Mr Cook said personal locating devices like an EPIRB and a satellite phone were tools that could aid first responders when trying to locate someone missing.

“If you’re looking to undertake extensive travel in regional WA, please take the necessary precautions, and we know Carolina did undertake some of those precautions,” he said.

“Her van was equipped with a certain amount of equipment to get her out of trouble, but ultimately, she did get into trouble.

“EPIRBs, satellite phones, those sort of things are a really good idea if you’re going into regional WA by yourself, and you’re not a local, and not used to those sort of conditions.”

Police said Ms Wilga’s van was stocked with some food and water before it became bogged 36km from any track in the Karroun Hill nature reserve.

She was spotted waving her hands by Wheatbelt resident Tania French, who was driving back from Beacon, about 24km from where her Mitsubishi Delica van was abandoned 11 days prior.

While Ms Wilga was lost, temperatures in the Wheatbelt dropped as low as -2.6C.

Detective Acting Inspector Jessica Securo, officer-in-charge of the homicide squad, said Ms Wilga had “some open travel plans just to explore parts of WA and then further head north and towards the east coast” when she became lost and “disoriented”.

When trying to look for her way out, she later lost control of her Mitsubishi van.

After spending just one day with her van, which became bogged on soft ground recently soaked by rain, Ms Wilga braved the elements for 11 nights on foot, heading west by travelling in the direction of the sun.

She survived by drinking water from puddles, sleeping in a cave and eating the minimal food left in her van.

A/Insp. Seccuro on Saturday said Ms Wilga had “minimal food and minimal water”.

“From speaking to her, she has said, you know, (she) could have planned better,” she said.

“Planning is essential . . . make sure you’ve got enough food, enough water, know where you’re going, know the road conditions and the weather conditions.

“Each person is different as to their skill level of surviving in the bush, but I always come back to, you are best off remaining with your car.

“It’s far easier for an aerial search to locate a vehicle than it is a person.”

Ms Wilga, who is in “disbelief” that she managed to survive, had solar panels installed on the roof of her van. Police said her vehicle became “mechanicallly unsound” once it became bogged.

The young woman was in a stable condition at Fiona Stanley Hospital on Sunday.

A widespread search for Ms Wilga, led by police, intensified after the backpackers’ friends hadn’t heard from her since June 29 - the same day she was captured on CCTV driving through the Wheatbelt town of Beacon, about 330km north-east of Perth.