A woman missing for 24 hours in dense bushland was kept warm overnight on Thursday by two of her dogs that would not leave her side, as authorities scoured the area trying to find her near Bundaberg in southern Queensland.

Key points: Theresa Dougherty left her property with two dogs on Thursday to search for a third dog that had gone missing

Theresa Dougherty left her property with two dogs on Thursday to search for a third dog that had gone missing It is believed Ms Dougherty fell over in the bush and hit her head, becoming disoriented

It is believed Ms Dougherty fell over in the bush and hit her head, becoming disoriented She was found about 1:00pm as a rescue helicopter spotted her in dense bushland about 400 metres from her home

Theresa Dougherty, 45, was reported missing from Isis Central, near Childers, after leaving her property on Barkles Road with two of her dogs to look for another missing dog, which had run off about 1:00pm on Thursday.

Authorities launched a large-scale air and land search about 7:00pm, including about 50 State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers, a helicopter and police.

The dog Ms Dougherty had gone looking for was found by police after the search started.

The RACQ Lifeflight helicopter spotted Ms Dougherty about 1:00pm on Friday as she waved to them in dense bushland about 400 metres from her home.

Authorities said it was believed Ms Dougherty had fallen over in the bush and hit her head, becoming disoriented.

Sergeant Tim Marrinan said the woman had called her partner before leaving the property yesterday in search of a missing dog.

Graeme Feek holds onto his three dogs who kept stuck by his partner's side in bushland. ( ABC News: Angeline Lowther )

"She went looking for one of her dogs, which was in a fight with another dog on the property — she's then gone off to go and locate that dog," he said.

"Last night was about 17 degrees and when you're in shorts and a t-shirt and you're outside it does get quite cold."

'Very tired, very disorientated, but very relieved'

Ms Dougherty's partner Graeme Feek said it was a "harrowing" experience.

"It was just a waiting game — we were hoping and praying that they'd find her safe, which they did … great job," Mr Feek said.

"It sounded like she had a fall when she first went out looking for the dogs.

"She heard the helicopter flying around so she made her way to a track.

"She's still very tired, very disoriented, but very relieved.

"She had the dogs with her — they didn't leave her, they kept her warm, they still won't leave her."

Ms Dougherty sustained minor abrasions and has been taken to Bundaberg Base Hospital.

Helicopter pilot Shaun Gillespie said Ms Dougherty was in a reasonably healthy state despite the ordeal.

"I saw what I thought was a black dog in the bushland and once we came back after refuelling, we resumed our search in the same location and a matter of minutes later we found the lady," he said.

"She'd made her way up to one of the fire trails, which of course made it a lot easier for us to find her in the bush.

"We just stayed over the top and radioed through to get the police crews to drive out and meet us."