Posted by 
A woman who survived five days stranded in the Victorian bush had only a juice box and gifted bottle of wine to sustain her as she desperately awaited help – and a cigarette.
A rescue helicopter finally spotted Lillian Ip, 48, from Cheltenham in Melbourne, in dense bushland near Bright, three hours north-east of Melbourne yesterday after five days lost in the wilderness.
"First thing that came to mind was water and a cigarette," she told 9News, laughing.
READ MORE: 'Surreal' moment for Aussie soldiers as UK crowns new King
"Thank god (for) the policewoman, she had a cigarette."
Her incredible ordeal began with a drive to Dartmouth Dam, two hours from where she was found, when she made a wrong turn down a dead end and ended up with her car stuck in the mud.
No food, no water, no shelter, no phone reception, and 60km from the nearest town.
She waited for help with nothing but a blanket, a fruit box, and a gifted bottle of wine that she was forced to consume even though she's not a drinker.
When asked how it tasted, she quickly replied with an expletive.
"I thought I was going to die out there," she said.
"My whole body shut down on Friday."
By the fourth day, so convinced she wasn't going to survive she wrote a letter to her family telling them she loved them and to not cry for her.
Then the very next day she heard the sound of the search helicopter overhead.
"I'm just sitting there thinking, what am I going to do, how am I going to survive this?" she said.
"I was about to give up."
READ MORE: At least eight dead after shooting at Texas shopping centre
Police said Ip had been unable to leave the car to seek help due to health issues.
She was taken to a hospital after her rescue for a check-up and was given the all clear.
"I'm an adventure person, but next time I'll be better prepared," she said.
Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.
