Shane Hogan, 40, flew down from Queensland to answer his court summons in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Monday.

The court heard Hogan knocked on the door of a Nerrina address claiming to be lost at 9.30pm on September 11.

The residents let him stay on the porch while they called police.

Hogan told police he was running through the bush away from someone who was chasing him and did not know where he was, but police thought his explanation was strange considering his clothes were clean.

In his pockets police found a 10cm pocket knife, glass pipe and a small zip lock bag containing the drug ice.

He admitted smoking the drug, but could not tell them when and could not remember many details of the night.

His lawyer told the court he was given the drug by a friend and had only used it two or three times.

He said Hogan's arrest was a wake-up call, with his client moving interstate following the incident in an effort to clean himself up.

He has since remained drug-free.

Magistrate Gregory Robinson told Hogan taking the drug was serious.

"I find it difficult to believe why any sensible person would take ice when there is so much awareness of how it ruins lives," he said.

"Many people don't take it to commit crimes, but they end up doing that.

"It's fortunate it didn't make him aggressive."

For possessing and using the drug Hogan was convicted and fined $750.

He was also fined $150 without conviction for the possessing the controlled weapon.