Man dies after fatal motorcycle crash with wallaby on Narau Beach Road at Bamaga, Cape York

Mates of man critically injured after hitting a wallaby and crashing a motorcycle desperately performed CPR while waiting hours for paramedics to arrive.

The man killed on a remote Cape York road was with an off road tour group when he hit a wallaby, lost control of his motorcycle and smashed into a tree.  

The 32-year-old was travelling in a group of around a dozen riders on a Moto Odyssey Australia tour.

On Narau Beach Road, not far from the intersection with Somerset Road, northern peninsula area of Cape York, when a wallaby jumped in front of him just after 1pm.

Moto Odyssey owner Charlie Bennison said the riders had visited the Tip and were heading to the Croc Tent after completing the Five Beaches track.

He said his staff were assisted by Croc Tent owner Dale Mears in applying first aid until paramedics arrived.

Dale Mears is the owner of a remote Cape York souvenir shop near the Tip called the Croc Tent.

A chopper was dispatched but returned to base after paramedics arrived by road and declared the man dead at the scene.

Mr Bennison said it was a freak accident and he extended sincere condolences to the man’s family.

“It’s tragic. Everyone is in shock and pretty upset,” he said.

Riders were heading south from The tip of Cape York when the rider crashed. Pictures: iStock

Close friends of the man are now waiting at the Bamaga airstrip for a flight back to Cairns.

Pajinka Rd souvenir shop owner Mr Mears, being a motorcycle enthusiast himself, described the crash as “sobering”.

“His friends and the other riders had the presence of mind to initiate CPR and we continued the effort until QPS arrived to take over,” he said.

“It was a sobering thing, it really hit home. We all ride bush tracks around here and that could be anyone.”

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said about 1pm on Thursday the man crashed on Narau Beach Road at Bamaga about 200m from the intersection of Somerset Road.

The road is located in the northern peninsula area of Cape York.

“There were a group of 12 motorcycle riders out there riding on a bike trail,” she said.

“One of them struck a wallaby. He has lost control and collided with a tree. Other motorcycle riders did CPR on him for a long time.”

As of Sunday there has been 23 deaths on the road since the start of the year. Last year there were 13 reported deaths and 16 in 2020.

Investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit are continuing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

Originally published as Man dies after fatal motorcycle crash with wallaby on Narau Beach Road at Bamaga, Cape York