A four-year-old Tasmanian girl found after spending two nights in remote bushland is well despite a few bruises, scratches and bites, her relieved mum says.
Shayla Phillips was located about a kilometre from where she was last seen on the Tasman Peninsula, on Friday afternoon.
About 100 people were involved in the search and as rescue crews feared she would have to spend another night in the open, the pre-schooler was found just after 4pm.
State Emergency Service crews conducting a close-to-ground search spotted her on a steep slope in dense bushland near Halls Road in Stormlea.
“I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart with everything I have that I am currently sitting here with my precious baby girl with a few bruises, scratches, bites and a urine infection after spending over 48 hours alone in the Bush,” mum Bianca Page posted on Facebook.
“A huge big thankyou to the SES Tasmania, Police Victorian officers, ambulance and all the locals of the peninsula, my friends and family and … the whole of Tasmania.”
Police officer Inspector Gavin Hallett says Shayla was able to walk but appeared disoriented and officers reunited her with her mother as soon as they could.
“It was obviously very emotional when I passed the happy news on to mum. She was very grateful,” he told reporters on Friday.
Shayla was then taken to hospital in Hobart by ambulance.
The area where she was found was about 500 metres from the nearest home and had previously been searched from the air but not on foot.
Inspector Hallett said he knew search crews, combing their way through dense bushland, simply had to persevere.
“We’ve said all along this was a search and rescue operation … We knew that if we just kept pressing away we would find her,” he said.
Thermal imaging drones, helicopters, divers and police sniffer dogs were involved in the search.
Shayla had been playing outside with dogs from a neighbouring property when she went missing.
Late on Friday, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the news was heartwarming and thanked everyone who helped.
AAP
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