A diabetic camper missing for nine days in remote Victorian bushland has told how he feared he would not survive the ordeal.

Troy Milne, 61, was rescued about 5pm yesterday near the town of Buchan in the east Gippsland region, when he lit a fire to alert searchers.

Today he arrived at Essendon Airport in outer Melbourne on his way for hospital treatment and spoke exclusviely with 9News.

 READ MORE: Woman randomly stabbed while walking to work in broad daylight

"I thought I was a dead duck in water ... I just drank lots of water," he said.

Milne lit the fire near the Kirby Cross Track and succeeded in drawing firefighters to the area.

They finally found him after spotting his Jeep Wrangler SUV close to the small blaze.

The vehicle had bottomed out on the terrain and was n

See Full Page