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Miracle as missing Aussie teen is found alive six days after vanishing on a camping trip in Victoria’s high country
A 17-year-old boy with level two autism was found alive after spending six days missing in Victoria’s high country. He disappeared during his first camping trip with a friend, prompting a search amid fears he had become lost in difficult terrain.
William had walked away from the campsite near Stoney Creek Road and T2 Track at Walhalla East on Friday afternoon, wearing shorts and work boots and without his phone. His friend sought help when he did not return; temperatures in the area fell to 3C or 4C during the search. William was found on Thursday morning and flown by helicopter to a search base near Cowwarr.
In short
- Missing teenager William was found alive after six days.
- He disappeared during a camping trip in Victoria.
- Temperatures fell to as low as 3C.
Explained simply
Victoria’s high country is a rugged, mountainous area in the state’s east, with remote tracks and bushland that can be difficult to search. Walhalla is a small historic town in the region, and Stoney Creek Road and the T2 Track are near the camping area where William went missing.
William was 17 and on his first camping trip with a friend. He has level two autism, a description of support needs, and had left the campsite without his phone; the cold nights and challenging terrain added to concern for his safety.