Teen missing for six days recounts ordeal from hospital

A teenager who survived six days lost in bushland in Victoria's east has recounted how he sang John Denver songs to keep his spirits up while he desperately hoped to be found.

William, 17, is recovering from his ordeal in hospital after he was found by emergency services yesterday in a riverbed at Walhalla East.

He disappeared a week ago while camping with a friend, sparking an intense search involving hundreds of people, including police divers, the dog squad and helicopters.

William told Channel Seven from his hospital bed in Traralgon that there were times during his ordeal that he didn't think he'd be found.

"The nights were pretty cold. A couple of times it was raining. Hot days. I got sunburnt and pretty treacherous surroundings, rocks and sticks, yeah," he said.

"I didn't think I'd make it six days.'

William said he sang John Denver's Country Roads, Take Me Home to keep his spirits up during the cold nights in the bush.

"I started doing it one night and it made me feel ace so I just kept doing it."

His only food for six days was a packet of chicken-flavoured chips, which he rationed, and said he was happy to finally have a proper meal.

"I had a great sleep last night. Comfy bed, finally got some food into me and over the moon to be happy and safe with family," he said.

Latrobe Regional Hospital CEO Don McRae said William was "in good spirits" overnight, with his mother by his side.

"William has been cared for by our team overnight and is in a stable condition," he said.

"He'll be transferred to The Alfred in Melbourne this morning for further testing and specialist review.

"Our team will continue to ensure he receives the care he needs as he moves to the next stage of his treatment."

William's mother Elizabeth Barkley told Sunrise she had an out-of-body experience when reunited with her son.

"Can I believe that they found him and they found him alive?"

"It was just wonderful that I happened to be up there when they found him.

"I told him that he's never going camping again and he's getting locked up in his room."

She said he was "a bit grumpy" because he was required to fast and could not have his morning coffee or McDonald's for breakfast.

His condition was stable "but it's one of those things that could turn serious quite quickly if not treated and looked after properly", Elizabeth said.

William had been transferred to the intensive care unit overnight after his blood pressure dropped due to dehydration.

Elizabeth said he had moved on from the John Denver songs he had sung to keep his spirits up.

"Today he's been singing AC/DC songs," she said.