14 DAY TRIAL // A German tourist who was attempting an epic journey on foot from New South Wales to Uluru became stranded in Queensland’s outback and survived by eating only flies and other insects.
Daniel Dudzisz, 26, got lost in the Australian outback on February 17 after attempting to walk an impressive 2,485 mile (4,000 km) distance on foot. He became stranded on a small patch of grass between floodwaters from the Barcoo river for about 10 days.
The backpacker got lost between Windorah and Jundah in central-west Queensland, but he managed to survive the harsh outback conditions by feeding himself flies.
Three weeks after being reported missing, Dudzisz was finally found near Coopers Creek. He was picked up by a motorist yesterday afternoon at Windorah, south-west of Longreach.
Despite the terrible experience, the man intends on walking about another 1,280 miles (1,900 km) to get to Uluru, but he promised to stick to main roads and travel only during the day.
According to Daily Mail, police inspector Mark Henderson reports that the backpacker was stranded in the bush between two flooded sections of the river for 10 days and that he lived on insects for most of the time.
“He did see the choppers looking for him but they couldn't see him due to the tree coverage.He certainly was hungry, but other than that he was in reasonable spirits,” Henderson said.
“He joked about never going hungry in the Australian outback because of the amount of flies you can eat for their protein apparently.”
Local police conducted an extensive ground and aerial search for Mr Dudzisz, and local farmers also helped the authorities find the tourist.
Apparently, the German backpacker is known as an experienced traveler and, in a previous interview with the Warrego Watchman, he described his travel method as “quite hardcore.”
“What I enjoy about the walking most is just how much closer nature feels when you cross and experience it like this. And all the little unexpected encounters and adventures that tend to accumulate along such a journey,” he reportedly told the publication.
Although he is known to be an insulin dependent diabetic, Dudzisz refused medical treatment after being found and insisted he would keep walking to the Northern Territory.
When authorities contacted his family in Germany during the search operation, they didn’t seem concerned about his welfare, saying that Mr. Dudzisz has been self-sufficient on similar trips in the past.