Stranded for 12 hours with no sign and hope gone, a father and son are rescued from one of Australia’s most remote corners by a billionaire.
A Melbourne father and son, stranded for 12 hours without mobile phone coverage in the South Australian outback, have been rescued in an unusual way… by a Perth billionaire piloting his private helicopter from a nearby pub.Bill Koski and his son, both from Middle Park in Melbourne, were on a dream holiday to see Lake Eyre fill with water. As they were driving their Toyota along the difficult Halligan Bay Road, they were hit by a sudden and powerful storm in the far north of South Australia.Heavy rain quickly turned the unsealed dirt road into deep mud, leaving their four-wheel drive vehicle completely stranded. Away from help and with almost no phone reception, the couple managed to send short emergency messages before their signal disappeared.
They were then forced to spend the night alone in the dark, flooded desert.
Lucky encounter at William Creek
Their rescue came through an unexpected meeting at a remote remote station. Tim Roberts, a billionaire and experienced pilot based in Perth, landed his private helicopter at the William Creek Hotel on the Oodnadatta Track and planned to stay overnight.While at the pub, Roberts learned that emergency services were searching for two travelers who had not returned from a trip towards Lake Eyre.
When he heard about their situation, he decided to put his plans aside and help.Roberts was joined by Trevor Wright, a local outback who knew the difficult conditions in the area. The two men flew the Roberts helicopter across the flooded landscape to search for the missing travellers.Finding the car was not easy. From above, the huge expanse of mud and water made the Toyota nearly impossible to see. After searching for some time, they finally spotted the car and landed nearby, ending the frightening wait for the father and son.“I thought you were in the Army or something,” Koski told Roberts as the pilot exited the helicopter.
The car is stuck after a huge storm
Increasing risks around tourism at Lake Eyre
The rescue took place during an unusually wet period in the South Australian outback. Heavy rains flooded many unsealed roads, making travel dangerous for unprepared visitors.The Halligan Bay Trail, which connects to the Oodnadatta Trail, is a really challenging route even in dry conditions.
The area has limited communications services, which makes it more difficult to deal with emergencies.Wright said emergency workers and local residents rescued 28 people in the area over a six-week period. The growing number of incidents shows the dangers faced by tourists who travel to remote areas to witness the rare sight of Lake Eyre filling with water.
Billionaire pilot
While Roberts’ wealth attracted attention, he also had the skills to save.
He is an experienced pilot and has air transport licenses for both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.Roberts is one of the three sons of John Roberts, founder of Australian construction company Multiplex. The company built several major milestones before selling it to Canadian investment firm Brookfield in 2007. The sale gave the three Roberts brothers combined compensation of about $1.2 billion.After the sale, Roberts invested his share of the family fortune in several business ventures.
A large portion of his investments went to AvWest, the private airline based at Perth Airport, as well as hedge fund manager Warburton Group.
Roberts began his career as a foreman on a multiple construction site before moving into senior leadership positions, eventually becoming CEO of the company.Today, his investments are managed through the Warburton Group, a private family investment office. The group has interests in aviation, real estate, infrastructure, investments, aquaculture, healthcare and tourism projects in New Zealand. Roberts is also a director of Australian mining services company Mineral Resources, which works in iron ore and lithium.
