A 24-year-old man has walked through the night after his vehicle got bogged in black soil near the small outback Queensland town of Aramac.
A resident stumbled across the driver who had walked hours along Torrens Creek Road and called police just after 6am on Wednesday.
Recent heavy rainfall has closed roads across the region and turned the normally dry terrain into soft, sticky, mud.
Acting Sergeant Josh Donaldson said police found the man about 10 kilometres from his vehicle.
"Unfortunately, he lost control of his vehicle at about 7pm [on Tuesday] night which resulted in the vehicle veering off the road and getting caught in black soil approximately 5 metres off the road," Acting Sergeant Donaldson said.
"Our understanding is that he's walked about 10km in about the nine-hour period.
"He was walking, understandably he was quite distressed not knowing the area as he was travelling from Townsville, and not local or having any knowledge of the area itself."
Acting Sergeant Donaldson said the man had started walking about 9pm on Tuesday in search of phone service.
The man was cleared of any injuries by the Aramac Primary Health Clinic.
He was given a set of clothes from a police officer in town and was put up in the local motel.
His car is still stuck in the mud, and there are plans to have it towed.
A timely reminder
Police are urging motorists to drive to the conditions and obey road closed signs in areas affected by recent severe weather.
Acting Sergeant Donaldson said the road was not closed when the man passed through.
"It was open to 4WD, which he was very much compliant with," he said.
"However in the time that elapsed, there were road closures preventing anyone from travelling to Aramac at that given time due to some flooding, which has found him stuck in the middle of those areas."
Police are advising drivers to stay with their vehicles during emergencies.
"At least we have a point of reference at that point in time to be able to locate anyone," Acting Sergeant Donaldson said.
He said drivers who stocked up on food and water for their trip and stayed with their vehicle could avoid being exposed to the environmental elements.
Stuck in the mud
The unusually heavy April rain also caught out Victorian caravanner Martin McGuinness, who was camping at the Apex park in Longreach.
He spent Anzac Day dripping wet and covered in mud, trying to rescue his vehicle from wet black soil.
"This stuff is just like soup, it definitely moves on you," Mr McGuinness said.
Knowledge about his predicament got out and helpers arrived.
"Fortunately enough, a couple of locals came along and managed to pull us out."
