Two tourists had to abandon their truck and walk for help after Google Maps led them astray (Picture: Queensland DES)
Rogue directions from Google Maps left two German tourists stranded in Australia’s isolated outback, leaving them to battle a crocodile, a snake and wild cows.
Philipp Maier and Marcel Schoene were forced to camp out for a week after their truck became stuck in mud, before setting out for help on foot.
The pair were driving from Cairns to Bamaga in northern Queensland earlier this month.
They said Google Maps told them to enter the Oyala Thumotang National Park through a dirt track known as Langi Track, which leads to the old Archers Crossing – a campground.
‘In Coen, Google Maps said we should go to the national park right away, and we thought “just do it”, because maybe the main road is closed because of a high river,’ said Mr Maier.
But after two days and 60km, their vehicle became bogged in mud – and without any phone service, they became stuck.
Philipp Maier, left, and Marcel Schoene shared their unplanned adventure (Picture: QPWS)
‘Where we got stuck, it looked really dry. The surface was dry, but under the surface, it was really wet and muddy,’ said Mr Maier.
‘[It was] almost impossible to get out of there.’
After their car became stuck in a hole, they camped out for about a week before attempting to walk to Archer River which, they say, seemed closer to reach help.
However, when they reached the river the water was too high to cross.
The pair decided to build a shelter out of wood and had several encounters with the wildlife – including a crocodile, a snake, spiders and some wild cows and pigs.
The pair camped out for about a week after being stranded before searching for help (Picture: Google Maps)
They walked from sunrise until midday and paused as the heat reached its peak.
Then they would begin walking again from 4pm until midnight. After a week, they arrived in Coen and retold the incident to the authorities.
‘It was a good experience but a hard experience – I wouldn’t want to live this again,’ said Mr Schoene.
The pair said they slept on the road at night, and used a drone to look for roads.
‘We had our backpacks with us, like 12 kilos on the back, so all the important stuff we had with us,’ said Mr Schoene.
Queensland is home to crocodiles, among other wild wildlife (Picture: Getty)
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Roger James said it was lucky the pair were alive and well, and that this was not the first incident of Google Maps leading people off-route into national parks.
‘People should not trust Google Maps when they’re travelling in remote regions of Queensland, and they need to follow the signs, use official maps or other navigational devices,’ he said.
The pair’s car has now also been freed.
‘Rangers assisted the local mechanic in retrieving the tourist’s car, which is much better than assisting emergency services in the search for bodies,’ he said.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Google for comment.