Heavy rain helped a father and his two young sons survive 11 days lost in a national park in outback Queensland.

The ordeal of Steven Van Lonkhuyzen, 37, and his sons Ethan, seven, and Timothy, five, began when they took a wrong turn and got bogged in the Expedition National Park in the state’s southwest.



Stranded without any mobile reception, Lonkhuyzen rationed food he had packed for a four-day camping trip and put plastic containers out to capture rain.



Acting Superintendent Mick Bianchi, who co-ordinated the police search, praised Van Lonkhuyzen’s resourcefulness.



“We were very concerned about their welfare. It was very hot and humid,” he said.



“Steven told me they had some water with them in the car but that they were lucky there was lots of rain while they were stuck out there.



“He put a plastic container out and he thinks he caught about 40 litres of water.”



By the time they heard the welcoming sound of a motorbike on Sunday afternoon, the trio were down to their last slices of bread.



Local grazier Tom Wagner had received police reports describing the vehicle and recalled having seen it some days earlier.



He jumped on his motorbike and found them about 3.30pm (AEST) on Sunday.



“I would like to thank Mr Wagner who managed to find them off his own bat,” Acting Supt Bianchi said.



“It’s pretty indicative of the way country people pitch in and help each other.”



He said the boys were still at the Taroom hospital, while their father and national park rangers work to extract his bogged vehicle.



“The boys have lost some weight and are a bit emaciated but they’ll be nursed back to health within a few days or two.”



The trio, who are from Brisbane, had planned to camp for several days before joining the rest of the family in Cairns on December 15.



Lonkhuyzen’s wife raised the alarm after they failed to arrive and to answer phone calls.

