Lost backpacker "playing hide and seek"

A British Backpacker who nearly died in the Queensland outback denies his ordeal was a Bear Grylls-like stunt gone wrong.

THE station managers of Upshot Station and the hosts of British backpacker Sam Woodhead have spoken of their “disappointment” at the teenager’s naive behaviour during his stay in Outback Queensland.

Tanya and Barry Dawson employed the 18-year-old at their station, 114km south of Longreach, to help them maintain the property that had recently been struggling with severe drought.

“It’s just a shame that someone that’s supposed to have survival training … could just leave the house and disregard the basics that everyone is told,” Tanya Dawson said.

“I think we’re just going to have to accept he was that naive to leave the house without telling anyone.”

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COPYCAT: Rescuers suspect Bear Grylls fan of Man v Wild stunt

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LOST AND FOUND: British backpacker Sam Woodhead talks to the media following his ordeal in the Queensland outback. Pic Tim Marsden

The Dawsons have not heard from Mr Woodhead since he went missing and say the station would no longer employ backpackers.

The Dawsons also passed on their thanks to their community, who arrived in droves to help in the search.

But the helpful neighbours have also begun questioning the motives of the British backpacker as details fail to “add up”.

Longreach local Stephen Parker said the rescue crews had organised a tight search grid that should not have missed Mr Woodhead repeatedly.

STAYING MUM: Sam Woodhead, with his mother Claire, was giving little away yesterday. Photo: Tim Marsden

“If he’s had survival training he broke every rule in the book … we’re reasonably sure he was playing hide and seek,” he said.

Mr Woodhead was ultimately found 5km-6km away from Upshot Station after an EMQ Rescue helicopter crew caught sight of his rugby shorts waving in the wind.

John te Kloot, the owner of a nearby property, flew his Cessna light aircraft with spotters during the search and said four helicopters had already flown over the area before Sam was found.

He said the questions being asked by locals were “patently obvious” given their knowledge of the land.

SEARCH crews look for Sam Woodhead last week.

“Firstly, we’re so happy to have him found and secondly, the police did a very good job. But there are some questions he should come back and answer,” he said.

Neighbours Adrian Roots, Norman Philp and Mac McClymont have all echoed the sentiment.

“We were surprised it took us so long to find him in the end, there was so much air traffic it’s unbelievable we didn’t find him … that’s why there’s so much speculation,” Mr McClymont said.

Interviewed by Nova radio station yesterday morning, Mr Woodhead has since indicated he would be getting a tattoo of the Queensland Ambulance Service logo.

“I think I am going to get that as a memory of how much those guys did for me,” he said.

Lost backpacker "playing hide and seek"