A man survives 18 days stranded in the Australian bush, relying on mushrooms and dam water for sustenance.

After being missing for over two weeks in the Australian bush, a man was found alive, having survived by eating mushrooms and drinking dam water, police confirm.

An intensive search was launched for Robert Weber, who disappeared after leaving a hotel in Kilkivan, Queensland, on January 6, accompanied by his dog.

Authorities scoured the region’s rugged terrain, dense bush, rivers, and dams in wet conditions, but had to halt the search after a week.

Weber, 58, was found on Sunday morning – 18 days after his disappearance – by a local landowner who spotted him near a dam.

Weber explained that he got lost while trying to avoid traffic, telling a Dinogo affiliate, 7News: “I was supposed to be home that night. I was just heading back home.”

“The traffic was at a standstill, so I decided to take a right and go up the mountain, planning to come down the other side,” Weber recalled. “I made a split-second mistake, and it cost me 18 days.”

Police reported that Weber’s car got stuck on an unfamiliar road, and he stayed with his dog for three days before running out of water.

“He set off on foot and eventually got lost, taking shelter near a dam where he survived by sleeping on the ground, drinking dam water, and eating mushrooms,” stated Queensland police in a report.

“I had no shelter. I passed out. My body just couldn’t handle it,” Weber reflected. “That was the worst part of the ordeal.”

Authorities confirmed that Weber was hospitalized due to exposure, but is otherwise in good health. Unfortunately, his dog has not been located.