Woman survives five days in Australian bush on wine and sweets

A 48-year-old woman survived being left stranded in Australian bushland thanks to lollipops and a bottle of wine, despite being teetotal.

Lillian Ip, a resident of the Melbourne suburb of Cheltenham, was on holiday in Bright, Victoria when disaster struck on Sunday 30 April.

Intending to drive to Dartmouth Dam, she made a wrong turn and hit a dead-end dirt road. As Ip attempted to turn around, the car became bogged down in the mud.

Loved ones raised the alarm that afternoon when Ip failed to call, as she was out of reach of a mobile phone signal.

Ip was discovered on Friday when the police air wing spotted Ip’s car while sweeping Mitta Mitta bushland in search of her.

Wodonga Police Station sergeant Martin Torpey said: “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. 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.”

As for Ip’s provisions, Torpey said: “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,” Torpey explained.

Precisely what wine it was that Ip drank in these desperate circumstances is unknown.

Ip was reportedly “safe and well” at the time of the discovery. After her ordeal, she was taken to hospital to be treated for dehydration.

This is not the only recent example of wine potentially saving an Australian in a survival situation. Last year, a man who stood on the ocean’s most venomous fish eschewed painkillers in favour of a bottle of red wine.