Missing man walks to safety

By Dion Teasdale
A TARRAWARRA man has survived a freezing night stranded in dense bush land near Steels Creek.
Ian Cutts, 69, spent more than 12 hours stuck in bush near the Steels Creek picnic ground last Friday evening, 22 September.
He left home about 4.30pm, drove to the picnic spot, parked his car and commenced bush walking.
A short ime later Mr Cutts, who suffered a heart attack a few years ago, became fatigued due to a sore hip and he decided to rest.
Mr Cutts said he tried to call for help using a mobile phone but the phone had no reception.
When he did not return home before nightfall, Mr Cutts’s wife raised the alarm with police.
Officers from Healesville, Yarra Glen and Lilydale police commenced searching for Mr Cutts at around 7pm.
Healesville police Sergeant Richard Higgins said officers searched seven kilometres of bush tracks but failed to find any sign of Mr Cutts.
“Police patrolled the main walking tracks around the picnic ground without success and the search was ceased at around 11pm,” he said.
“There were concerns about (Mr Cutts’s) safety, particularly because of his previous medical condition.”
Sgt Higgins said officers stayed by the Mr Cutts’s car throughout the evening in the hope that he would return.
“At 7.20am (Mr Cutts) walked out of the forest after spending the night in the bush. He was taken to see a doctor and is doing fine,” Sgt Higgins said.
Mr Cutts said many years of bush walking and hunting had equipped him with the skills to survive his ordeal.
“I had some matches with me, and kept my wits about me.
“I lit a fire and decided it was better to camp the night rather than push myself,” he said.