Tim Fischer returned home on Wednesday morning after becoming the subject of a search near his property near Dederang overnight.

The 69-year-old set out for a bush walk on Mount Jack, near Myrtleford, on Tuesday afternoon.

He decided to spent the night outdoors after losing his glasses and running out of time to safely complete his walk.

"I made the safety decision to stop scrub-bashing lest I twist an ankle, and walk out safely in the daylight," he told ">radio station 3AW.

Mr Fischer spent a chilly night outdoors with only a coat, an Akubra hat and an apple for company.

He used the dwindling batteries on his mobile phone to notify his family of the situation.

A search party was sent out against their wishes, he said.

"I do salute the very busy police, SES and ambulance and others that respond to situations like this. It wasn't necessary as luck would have it," he said.

Mr Fischer watched the sun set over his family farm in the valley below, before settling in for a freezing night.

A Bureau of Metereology spokesman said temperatures would have been between six and eight degrees overnight.

While Mr Fischer said he wished for a packet of matches, the real "element of torture" was listening to the Melbourne to Sydney jets on the flight path above.

"Knowing there were people up there enjoying their wine and coffee and ... good service. I've often sat on those as well," he said.

Mr Fischer stuck to his plan and walked out at first light on Wednesday morning, tucking into a bowl of Sultana Bran and resuming "normal activities".

"These things happen," he told 3AW. "Lesson learnt, lost weight, a few scratches."

"All's well that ends well. Life is good and I do commend bushwalking, but always do it safely."

Mr Fischer was deputy prime minister in the Howard government from 1996 to 1999.

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