Schoolies’ lucky escape on K’gari after branch spears through car

A group of girls celebrating Schoolies on K’gari have had a lucky escape after crashing into a branch that speared through the windshield and passenger seat of their vehicle.

The scene of an incident involving students celebrating Schoolies on K'gari near Lake McKenzie.

Shocking photos have emerged of a branch spearing through the passenger seat of a vehicle after a crash during a Schoolies trip near Lake McKenzie on K’gari.

The group were travelling back to Eurong when a branch smashed through the front of the car, narrowly missing a passenger.

Andrew Gourley from Red Frogs Australia said the Fraser Coast team had helped rescue the school-leavers involved in the incident.

“The understatement of the day was ‘I think someone is looking out for us’,” he said.

Mr Gourley said a ranger operating a tractor had pulled the branch out of the car and members of the Red Frogs team drove the car back to Eurong, which provided accommodation for the students.

The scene of an incident involving students celebrating Schoolies on K'gari near Lake McKenzie.

The scene of an incident involving students celebrating Schoolies on K'gari near Lake McKenzie.

Central Queensland Red Frogs co-ordinator Tim Winnington said the girls who were in the vehicle were staying at Rainbow Beach and had decided to explore K’gari for the day.

He said the branch had fallen down on the track and the car had driven into it.

There had been a girl in the passenger seat, but she had managed to dodge the branch and fortunately no one had been sitting behind her, he said.

“It was pretty amazing that no one was actually hurt. It was phenomenal really,” he said.

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“Our Red Frogs crew were the first on the scene.

“We were able to help them out, comfort them and be there for them.”
A ranger with a tractor just happened past and was able to remove the branch before one of the Red Frogs team members drove the car, which was still drivable, back to Eurong.

The girls survived the horrifying incident on K'gari.

He said the girls were in a state of shock after the incident.

At Eurong paramedics were called and the girls were check over before the resort put them up for the night as it was getting quite late, Mr Winnington said.

The team provided food and stayed with the girls through the night before a family member came across to the island the next day to get the girls back to Rainbow Beach.

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“Definitely someone was watching over them,” he said.

Mr Winnington said it was great that the Red Frogs team had been there for the girls.

He said fewer graduates were choosing the Gold Coast for their Schoolies celebrations, with more choosing to visit K’gari and other regional parts of Queensland.

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