Carolina Wilga, German backpacker survives 12 days in Western Australia outback after deciding to leave stranded car only to get lost in merciless terrain and wilderness, and forced to rely on her will to survive and dumb luck.
A German backpacker who survived 12 days in Western Australia’s rugged wilderness after bogging her van survived her ordeal by drinking water from puddles, taking refuge in a cave and by ‘sheer luck.’
Carolina Wilga was eventually discovered by a passing motorist after the 26 year old backpacker who had traveled from Germany to experience Australia (indeed…) had set out from Perth nearly two weeks in a Mitsubishi Delica van on an adventure of a lifetime. And it was.
At some point while driving through thick shrub in the Karroun Hill area of WA, 400 kilometres northeast of Perth, Wilga’s vehicle ran off, leading to her banging her head and suffering a concussion and becoming disoriented, The Guardian reported.
German backpacker explains why she decided to leave her car
Unable to get her vehicle going and unable to get reception on her cellphone, Wilga decided rather than wait for help (would it ever arrive, and who knew where she was…?) to ‘walk west’ in the hope of coming back to civilisation, leaving behind bounty of food and water and clothing.
What followed next was a testament to will, desire to live and belief in one’s own abilities in the elements as Wilga negotiated wearing nothing more than a pair of sandals and light clothing, freezing evenings in the nature reserve, described by authorities as remote, rocky and inhospitable.
Speaking from hospital in Perth on Monday, following Friday’s miracle rescue, Wilga thanked her rescuers along with addressing the mystery of why she left her car after becoming stranded in Western Australia’s outback.
‘Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,’ she said according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
7NEWS can reveal the extraordinary ways a German backpacker survived her traumatic outback ordeal. Carolina Wilga spent 12 days alone wandering in the W.A. wilderness, defying all the odds by drinking from puddles and sleeping in a cave. https://t.co/VZ3A1cHvFd #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/CjxhhRwvG1
— 7NEWS Queensland (@7NewsBrisbane) July 12, 2025
Caolina Wilga survives ordeal with shear will and dumb luck
‘The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.
‘I am simply beyond grateful to have survived.’
After the woman’s family in Germany not having heard from their daughter since June 29, after telling them she was about to embark on an outdoor adventure urgent calls were made to authorities on July 4th in the hopes that they could relocate Wilga who had suddenly gone off the radar.
But it wouldn’t be another 12 days before salvation would arrive.
Wilga had stayed with the car for just a day before panicking and striking out to find help, authorities said. With minimal food and water, the German backpacker followed the sun’s position to head west.
The temperature in the area had dropped down to zero degrees (32F) at night and there was heavy rain. At one point, she even sought refuge inside a cave and drank water from puddles to survive.
Help and the answer to Wilga’s prayers finally arrived in the form of rescuer, Tania Henley who came upon the ‘fragile’ woman waving her hands along the road. Wilga was found dehydrated, starving and beaten by the elements.
‘She was thin, fragile – and everybody would be fragile. Twelve days to be missing out in the bush is usually not a good result, really,’ explained Henley.
Finding kindred community with Australians
‘I pulled over and got out and I gave her a hug – she was crying, it was pretty emotional all right.’
The missing woman’s van was found at least 21 miles from any main track.
Reflected Wilga in her almost impossible survival, ‘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.
The backpacker said she felt a part of Australian culture after her ordeal, and said WA had ‘taught me what it really means to be part of a true community’.
Adding, ‘Previously, I didn’t know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it.
‘I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here.
‘Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter – and in the end, that’s what counts most.’
