I was lost in the bush for 10 days with my son. A note left on a bench saved our lives

In 2017, Michelle Pittman and her son set out on a bushwalk, not realising that one wrong turn would lead to a fight for survival.

Michelle Pittman and her then nine-year-old son Dylan were lost for 10 days in Mount Royal National Park near the Hunter River. Source: Supplied

Escaping the jaws of a great white shark, surviving 10 days lost in the bush without food and shelter, recovering from a deadly disease but facing long-term health problems, or surviving methanol poisoning only to become permanently blind. When is a lucky escape not so lucky? Watch Insight episode Lucky Escapes? on SBS On Demand.

I never imagined that a small, scribbled note I thought I had thrown in the bin would play such an important role in my and my son's survival.

In 2017, my then nine-year-old son Dylan and I set ourselves a simple but meaningful goal: to explore Australia's national parks. Out of excitement for the adventures ahead, I wrote down a list of the parks we were to visit, with a weekend planned for each.

On the last day of a long weekend in October, we set out to Mount Royal National Park near the Hunter River. It was meant to be a day trip — a quick walk through the bush — enjoying nature together.

But things didn't go as planned.

The plan was simple: explore the area, enjoy the scenery and then head home. We had done similar walks before and expected to be back quickly, so we didn't take food or water as we had on other days.

The Australian bush can look very similar in every direction, and at first, we believed we were still following the track. Slowly, however, an unease grew inside me.

For a while, I was able to compose myself and keep my fear hidden from Dylan. But the longer we were lost, the more he could see I was scared.

I began to fear for our lives.

'I couldn't let panic take over'

When the sun had set, and I realised we weren't going home that night, we slept directly on the ground with a few branches on top of us to stay warm.

That first night was incredibly difficult. The bush changes when darkness arrives — sounds become louder, the air grows colder, everything feels unfamiliar and uncertain. You feel exposed to whatever lurks in the shrubs.

Dylan was tired and scared. I kept talking to him — trying to provide comfort and keep his spirits up. I told him people would come looking for us and that we would get through this together.

Michelle says it wasn't until day two that she really realised they were lost. Source: Supplied

The next morning, when I realised we were truly lost, I couldn't hide my fear any longer and broke down in tears.

That moment was overwhelming because, as a mother, my instinct was to protect my son. He was young and needed reassurance, not fear.

But I couldn't let panic take over if we wanted to survive what would become the next 10 days lost in the bush.

The most important thing was finding water, for which we searched the bush high and low. On day four, I drank my urine; it was foul, but I did it to survive.

Finally, on day nine, we came across a small puddle of water that was so clear I called it liquid gold; it kept our weak bodies going.

Food was something we simply didn't have, and hunger quickly became constant.

Our bodies grew weaker each day, but we kept moving when we could and resting when we needed. Sleep was difficult, but we tried as best we could.

Each night, in whatever shelter we found — whether it was trees or among bushes — we'd curl up together for warmth as the ground was cold and hard.

The unpredictable weather also added to the challenge of survival.

'I would say goodbye to family in my mind'

Some days felt incredibly long and exhausting. But there were also quiet moments in the forest that gave me time to think.

I would think about my family and friends, and if anyone knew where we were.

As the days passed, I would say goodbye to family in my mind.

This question broke me — if we were still in the bush in three months, we'd most likely be dead.

Michelle Pittman

My thoughts constantly returned to our family. I wondered if people were searching for us.

I worried deeply about Dylan and whether he had the strength to keep going.

At one point, he asked me: if we were still lost by Christmastime, would Santa be able to find us? This question broke me — if we were still in the bush in three months, we'd most likely be dead.

But hope never left me. I kept telling myself that we would be found or find a way out — even when I woke up to see that Dylan's skin was purple from the cold on day seven.

A life-saving note

Something incredible happened on the eleventh day: we found a road.

Dylan and I were like two zombies walking one foot in front of the other when we heard a vehicle approaching.

It was a police car, and they saw us. Relief, gratitude and exhaustion flooded through me.

After 10 days of uncertainty, it felt surreal to know we were safe.

Michelle and Dylan receiving medical attention shortly after being rescued. Credit: Seven News

Later, we learned how they knew where to search.

It turned out I hadn't thrown away the little note with the list of national parks and weekends; I had left it on the kitchen bench.

It helped guide search teams to the right area after my then-19-year-old daughter reported us missing. The scribbled note helped save our lives.

The real healing

Leaving the bush didn't mean the experience was over. The real healing, both physically and emotionally, would take time.

Thankfully, we didn't suffer any life-threatening injuries, but the experience had taken its toll, and our bodies were extremely weak and dehydrated.

There were also moments when guilt weighed heavily on me. As a mother, I replayed everything in my mind — wondering if I could have done something differently. The guilt stayed with me for a long time.

But reuniting with our family and friends, who had spent days worrying and waiting for news, is something I'll never forget. To be in their presence again was so emotionally powerful.

Michelle says that healing from the traumatic experience of being lost has been a gradual process. Source: Supplied

At the start of my healing process, I didn't think about luck at all.

My outlook has shifted with the passing years, and I've increasingly realised how fortunate Dylan and I really were. So many things had to align for us to survive and be found — including the note being left on the bench, the determination to keep going and the search teams who never gave up.

Our experience eventually inspired me to write a book, and sharing our story has become a way to honour what we went through and remind others that, even in the darkest moments, hope can still guide you forward.

What happened to us was traumatic, but it also revealed to me the strength of the human spirit. It showed me the power of resilience and the deep bond between a mother and her son.

Looking back now, those 10 days in the bush changed my life forever.

They didn't just test our survival; they reminded me how, even when you feel completely lost, you should never give up.

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