Country music singer-songwriter Colin Buchanan was captivated by the story of a shoeless, four-year-old girl named Millie, who went missing on the Glenrock cattle station in the Upper Hunter Valley.
Millie walked about 8km and survived a cold night in the bush with the help of her dog Dasher, who slept on top of her, keeping her warm.
Buchanan, a long-time East Heathcote resident and nine-times Golden Guitar winner, wrote a song about the 2001 search, but his efforts to trace the girl were unsuccessful.
That was until a chance meeting with the "little girl lost", Amelia "Millie" Kwast, now 26, at this month's Tamworth Country Music Festival.
"It was like Millie had been found for a second time," Buchanan told the Leader.
Meeting Millie was a second surprise for Buchanan at the festival. He was also inducted into the Country Music Roll of Renown.
Buchannan began writing his song 22 years ago after hearing a radio report on Millie being found and the reason she had come through the ordeal so well.
However, his notes lay in a shoe box until recently when he pulled them out and began working on the music again.
The result - a single titled Little Barefoot Millie - was, coincidentally, scheduled for release during the Tamworth festival, and will be part of Buchanan's new album, which will be out in six to eight weeks.
Ms Kwast, who lives in Tamworth, told the Leader she likes the song, but not as much as her partner, who "listens to it 24-7".
Her memory of how she became lost for 28 hours after following Dasher, a Rough Collie, into the bush is clear.
She avoided searchers because her mother had warned against speaking to strangers, but she finally responded to the sound of her uncle's voice.
Ms Kwast said she was not overly worried during the hours she was lost.
"I felt safe because Dasher was with me and I had a lot of experience in the bush," she said.
Buchanan said his new song had more meaning for him since the meeting.
"Millie will be the first person on the invitation list for the launch of the album," he said.
Buchanan said winning the Roll of Renown award was "like being recognised for eating chocolate cake".
"All I've done is something I just love doing - singing, writing and playing my guitar," he said.
The plaque will join others mounted on granite boulders in front of the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre.
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Murray Trembath
St George and Sutherland Shire Leader reporter covering politics, urban affairs, council, development and general community news. Email: mtrembath@theleader.com.au
St George and Sutherland Shire Leader reporter covering politics, urban affairs, council, development and general community news. Email: mtrembath@theleader.com.au
