Keyword – Australia news
Trefwoorden – Victoria, Australia news
Title – ‘He is never leaving the house again’: mother reunites with son missing for six days in Victorian bushland | Victoria | The Guardian
Author – Australian Associated Press
Link – ‘He is never leaving the house again’: mother reunites with son missing for six days in Victorian bushland | Victoria | The Guardian
Publish date – 2026-11-12T09:35:44.000Z
Category – News
URL – https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/nov/12/missing-teenager-walhalla-found-alive-australian-bush
A teenager has shared an emotional reunion with his mother after being found alive following almost a week lost in dense bushland.
Police air wing found William, 17, whose surname has not been shared, laying down in a creek near Walhalla, 130km east of Melbourne, in Victoria , on Thursday morning.
Rescue teams had been scouring bushland from the air when they spotted the 17-year-old.
He was first reported missing after straying from his camp near Walhalla last Friday.
Officers were winched down to the site after spotting the teen, before bringing him back to reunite him with his mother, Elizabeth.
A Victoria police video recorded from the air shows William being located in bushland.
Later, the moment his mother first saw her son since he went missing was also captured on video. William was sitting inside the police helicopter in shorts and workboots.
He appeared to smile before embracing his mother in a warm hug as officers looked on.
“I am over the moon. He’s alive,” she told reporters at the scene. “He is never leaving the house again. He is not going anywhere.”
William was taken to hospital for monitoring.
The teenager had been dropped off by his mother for the weekend to camp with his friend on Friday. It is believed he walked a short distance back to the drop-off location to retrieve further camping equipment.
When William failed to return shortly after, his friend searched the area but found no trace of the teen.
He was wearing only shorts and work boots when he went missing, with a mobile phone, food and water left behind.
Police said he was last seen near Stoney Creek Road, between Cowwarr and Walhalla, on 6 November at about 4pm.
On Wednesday, investigators appealed to hunters, campers and landowners to come forward with any information after a hunting camera was found in the search area.
Emergency service workers, including the dog and rescue squad, had been searching the dense bushland since last Friday.
This article was amended on 12 November 2026. An earlier version stated William had been camping with a relative. Police have since updated their advice.