‘He’s grounded for life’: Teen survives six days in bush on chips and water

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The mother of a 17-year-old who managed to survive shirtless in the wilderness for six days with only a packet of chips says she never gave up hope.

A Morwell teenager has survived six days on his own in remote Victorian wilderness, subsisting on little more than a packet of chips and water after falling down a cliff and becoming trapped.

Seventeen-year-old William, known as Will, was rescued following a major search operation. His relieved mother, Elizabeth Barkley, revealed he had escaped with just sunburn and a few scratches – but he could now face a lifetime grounding.

Barkley said Will remained in LaTrobe Regional Hospital and was in “good health and good spirits” despite spending almost a week stranded in the bush wearing just a pair of shorts and work boots. He is reportedly looking forward to his next McDonald’s meal – his favourite food.

Will had been camping in the Walhalla East area, north of Traralgon in Gippsland, when he went missing.

Barkley told this masthead her son, who became lost last Friday, grew scared that night. He lay down and slept before starting to walk the following day, miraculously avoiding serious injury.

“He didn’t see there was a bit of a gap in a cliff, and he slid down [it] and got stuck there; he couldn’t move because his legs were sore,” she said.

Will stayed put, using towels he had with him to keep warm at night and drinking water from a nearby stream until he was found.

He had last been seen near Stoney Creek Road, close to the T2 Track, about 4pm on Friday while camping with another teenager for the weekend.

Police said he had walked a short distance to another part of the campsite. When he didn’t return, his friend searched the surrounding area but was unable to find him.

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