A YOUNG couple, including a pregnant woman, has been found after their car broke down in the NT Outback and they vanished while hitchhiking to the nearest town.

Melbourne residents Cody Rowland, 29, and Bianca Farnsworth, 25, had not been seen since they abandoned their Mitsubishi Urvan on the Stuart Highway after encountering mechanical problems, while travelling north of the South Australian border near Kulgera, about 2.40pm on Friday. They were headed to Katherine, about 1400km north, with their rottweiler dog.

A NT Police spokesman told news.com.au there had not been any trace of the pair until they were located “safe and well” at the Desert Oaks rest area, about 35km north of Erldunda, this afternoon.

“They were able to send a text message to a relative from the phone of another traveller, advising that they were safe after having car troubles,” a NT Police spokesperson told news.com.au.

Earlier, police revealed they were particularly concerned about Ms Farnsworth’s welfare because she is several months pregnant with her first child. Friends of Ms Farnsworth, originally from Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, told news.com.au she was thrilled to have a baby on the way. A copy of her last Facebook post obtained by news.com.au contained a gushing pregnancy announcement accompanied by pictures of her ultrasound scans.

“10 little fingers, 10 little toes, 2 little eyes, 1 little nose,” it read.

“Put them together and what do you got?

“Our baby on the way ready or not.

“Due January 2019.”

The couple was believed to be in good health prior to their disappearance, according to police.

“It is understood that the pair was going to try and hitchhike to Alice Springs, around 200km away,” a police statement read.

“It is unclear what supplies or finances they have available.”

Ms Farnsworth was employed as a pharmacy assistant for Terry White Chemist Watergardens in Melbourne until she “suddenly stopped showing up for work” last month.

Store retail manager Mary Lou Murgia told news.com.au that Ms Farnsworth had called in sick on a Friday and said there had been a “family emergency and that she had to go to the NT” about six weeks ago.

“But then we didn’t hear from her again,” Ms Murgia said.

“I and several staff members called, sent text and Facebook messages, and emails to her when she stopped showing up for work but she never responded.

“I thought it was weird that she never made contact again but assumed she had just abandoned her job as she was still active on Facebook.”

Another employee told news.com.au that staff knew Ms Farnsworth was pregnant before she vanished and had been “really worried about her” when she didn’t return to work.