Inside the search for missing backpacker Carolina Wilga
However, like in Podmore's case, there was no sign of the backpacker.
Details about the ensuing days remain a mystery, but the hunt for Wilga came to an end on Friday when she was rescued by a station owner returning from Beacon along a remote bush road.
Tania Henley told media Wilga stumbled out from the bushes and waved her down.
Wilga has offered little insight into her 11 nights in the bush, but said she survived by sleeping in a cave, drinking from puddles and using the sun as her guide.
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Bush survivalist instructor Mike Cook said it was clear the backpacker had luck on her side.
'It's a harsh environment, and it's quite difficult to navigate without aids … it's difficult to get any sort of sense of where you are, if you're not familiar with solar navigation,' he said.
'It sounds like she had some idea about trying to sort of pick a direction and head west after she decided to leave her car.'
Cook said any traveller looking to drive east in WA should be conscious of the lack of water in the region as it borders the desert.
'You have to go with the mindset that if you did break down, you should be right for a solid week, at least with sufficient water and stuff like that,' he said.
Wilga's van was stocked with days' worth of food and water. The traveller said she was disorientated when she decided to walk away from the area carrying no supplies.
Searchers confirmed the bushland was hard going, with low shrubbery and very little distinct terrain to help someone who was lost.
Posting to social media from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Tuesday, Wilga joked she would need to gain '12 kilos back' after her ordeal, but still has not spoken about what she went through.
Celebrity agent and public relations expert Max Markson said the backpacker, who spent her fifth night in hospital on Tuesday, would probably be fielding calls from media outlets across the country wanting to share her story, with Nine's 60 Minutes and Seven's Spotlight showing interest.
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'They're the ones who would do the story and do it properly – as opposed to 15 minutes, they'd do 30 minutes of television,' he said.
Markson said Wilga could ask for between $50,000 and $100,000 to exclusively share her ordeal.
'I think it's really important to have someone who can not just represent her for this deal, but for other deals that will happen – I'm sure there'll be a magazine deal at one stage,' he said.
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17 hours ago
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Lost backpacker could get ‘serious money' from survival tale
Celebrity publicist Max Markson says German backpacker Carolina Wilga could earn 'serious money' if she decides to sell her harrowing survival story to a media outlet. Ms Wilga was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, five days after she was miraculously found after spending almost a fortnight lost in WA's Wheatbelt region. The 26-year-old spent 12 days on foot and survived by drinking water from puddles and sleeping in a cave, before she was spotted by a passing local. Mr Markson described Ms Wilga's remarkable feat as an 'incredible story' and said it would likely attract international media attention. The 26-year-old backpacker was micraculously found on Friday after nearly a fortnight lost in WA's Wheatbelt region. Credit: WA Police / WA Police 'I think she could definitely sell the story here in Australia, she could definitely sell it in Germany, and she could probably sell it in America, New Zealand and the UK,' he told The West Australian. 'She's definitely worth serious money and she should capitalise it for her sake.' Mr Markson said people were eager to hear Ms Wilga's survival story, but said her first priority was to make a full recovery. 'People want to hear her story, there's no doubt about that . . . she's so young and it will benefit her in the long term,' he said. 'I'm not saying she has to do interviews all the time, but she should capitalise on it — the fact that she's alive (means) she can earn serious money. 'She's got to sort herself out (and feel better) because it's a really hard experience that she's gone through.' Ms Wilga was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, five days after being found. Credit: WA POLICE Mr Markson has been behind some of the country's biggest TV deals, including Nine's controversial rumoured $2 million payment to Cleo Smith's family for her story about her 18-day kidnapping ordeal. In a statement earlier this week, Ms Wilga thanked the WA community for their dedicated search efforts. 'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support,' she said. 'The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. 'Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. 'My deepest thanks also go to every single person who simply thought of me – and of course, to my rescuer and angel, Tania.' On Monday night, Ms Wilga posted photographs from her hospital bed surrounded by food gifted to her by the German Consulate. The 26-year-old returned to social media on Monday night. Credit: Unknown / Instagram 'When you need to gain 12 kilograms back,' the photo caption read.
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17 hours ago
- West Australian
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Celebrity publicist Max Markson says German backpacker Carolina Wilga could earn 'serious money' if she decides to sell her harrowing survival story to a media outlet. Ms Wilga was discharged from Fiona Stanley Hospital on Wednesday, five days after she was miraculously found after spending almost a fortnight lost in WA's Wheatbelt region. The 26-year-old spent 12 days on foot and survived by drinking water from puddles and sleeping in a cave, before she was spotted by a passing local. Mr Markson described Ms Wilga's remarkable feat as an 'incredible story' and said it would likely attract international media attention. 'I think she could definitely sell the story here in Australia, she could definitely sell it in Germany, and she could probably sell it in America, New Zealand and the UK,' he told The West Australian. 'She's definitely worth serious money and she should capitalise it for her sake.' Mr Markson said people were eager to hear Ms Wilga's survival story, but said her first priority was to make a full recovery. 'People want to hear her story, there's no doubt about that . . . she's so young and it will benefit her in the long term,' he said. 'I'm not saying she has to do interviews all the time, but she should capitalise on it — the fact that she's alive (means) she can earn serious money. 'She's got to sort herself out (and feel better) because it's a really hard experience that she's gone through.' Mr Markson has been behind some of the country's biggest TV deals, including Nine's controversial rumoured $2 million payment to Cleo Smith's family for her story about her 18-day kidnapping ordeal. In a statement earlier this week, Ms Wilga thanked the WA community for their dedicated search efforts. 'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support,' she said. 'The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. 'Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. 'My deepest thanks also go to every single person who simply thought of me – and of course, to my rescuer and angel, Tania.' On Monday night, Ms Wilga posted photographs from her hospital bed surrounded by food gifted to her by the German Consulate. 'When you need to gain 12 kilograms back,' the photo caption read.
