A woman who spent 10 nights lost in the bush with her young son has credited Bear Grylls for the "ingenious survival tactics" she used to keep going during the ordeal.
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Singleton woman Michelle Small, 40, and her nine-year-old son Dylan Deane set off for what was supposed to be a short bushwalk in the Mount Royal National Park in the Hunter Valley on October 2.
The pair lost their way in the rugged bushland, battling the elements for ten nights before being found by rescuers who described their condition as "remarkably okay".
Ms Small told rescuers she used tips picked up from watching the Bear Grylls series Man vs. Wild to help survive, including using leaves to collect water and tying grass around trees to mark their location.
Rob Post, Hunter Valley LAC Acting Superintendent, told media outlets the pair had no food and did not eat for 10 days but found water.
"It's quite amazing the way they've managed to gather water, they made reference to Bear Grylls," he said.
"She mentioned they had watched the shows and got some tips out of that which assisted them.
"They licked the moisture off plants to help keep hydrated. There were dried up creek beds where they sourced water by digging.
Authorities, who spent nearly four days navigating the steep slopes and thick scrub in the 6920-hectare park, were ecstatic to find the pair alive, and surprisingly well.
"We're really amazed and happy," Singleton police duty officer Inspector Joanne Schultz told the Newcastle Herald. "We're very relieved that they're OK and fine, that they're both well and got through that ordeal."
Inspector Schultz said the pair were reported missing after failing to contact family and friends but there was no information about where they had gone.
"Their car was then sighted in the car park of the Mount Royal National Park on October 9," she said.
The find prompted a four-day search with up to 40 police, NSW Ambulance and State Emergency Service members combing the area.
"They were in quite good condition," Inspector Schultz said. "They had some minor injuries, some cuts and abrasions, exposure and dehydration but will likely have no long term ill effects."
She said the mother appeared to have entered into "survival mode", focusing on getting through the ordeal.
Inspector Andrew Steenson from NSW Ambulance, who participated in the search, said the mother and her son were in "remarkably good physical condition", given their experience.
He said the pair had some scratches and bites but were fairly well hydrated "due to some quite ingenious survival tactics".
"The search terrain was really quite hostile in some areas," he said.
"There are some steep slopes and thick scrub, and it drops off by about 500 metres in some parts of the search area.
"Given that the search has been under way for four days, it was really good to find them in such good physical shape."
Ms Small and Dylan were taken to Singleton Hospital with minor injuries.
