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A group of travelers stranded in the flooded Outback since Sunday have been rescued.
The seven family members were found next to their stuck vehicle on Wednesday – a full three days after they traveled from Kalgoorlie to the remote Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara.
Among the seven are the famous artist Lennard Walker and Mr. Rictor, whose family is the last known group of Aboriginal people to have lived a traditional nomadic life in Australia.
Sir. Walker, 74, has been an artist for decades and was a finalist in the WA Indigenous Art Awards, with art collections exhibited as widely as Brussels and Korea.
Mr. Rictor’s family is known as the last known indigenous group living a traditional nomadic lifestyle in the country, with two members of the family remaining in Tjuntjuntjara.
The group has been taken to hospital for an assessment. Image: WA Police
The group, including four children, were found alive on Wednesday afternoon, about 270km west of Tjuntjuntjara, and have been airlifted to Kalgoorlie-Boulder by helicopter.
Police are expected to provide an update on their respective circumstances later Thursday.
The group were traveling in two cars from Kalgoorlie-Boulder to Tjuntjuntjara, about 650km northeast of Kalgoorlie, when they became stranded in the severe weather that hit WA.
A deluge of rain earlier prevented emergency services from using air assets to search for the missing people, but a break in the weather finally allowed them to resume the search.
On Wednesday afternoon, emergency services confirmed that the family had been located.
WA Premier Roger Cook said it was a ‘huge relief and a fantastic result’ after what had been a ‘really difficult and upsetting situation’.
“I just want to thank all the police, first responders, search parties, everyone who participated in the efforts and operations to find that family,” he said.
The group was found about 270 km west of Tjuntjuntjara. Image: WA Police
‘The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, we thank them and it’s a fantastic result.
‘We know that these road conditions change quickly when we have these severe weather patterns coming through.
“There has been significant flooding throughout the region.
“So I encourage everyone, especially motorists, to be aware of the conditions when you go out.
‘In this situation, the family announced to the Tjuntjuntjara community that they were starting to return home.
‘And then because they notified others, the Tjuntjuntjara community was able to send out the alarm.’
An aerial photograph taken by police showed all seven people surrounding their stuck car, with no immediately visible injuries to any of them.
Tjuntjuntjara Community Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Jon Lark will meet the group in Kalgoorlie on Thursday evening.