Bruce Highway: Stirling Edwards-Bland dies, twin Austin hurt in Gregory River crash
Animal lover Stirling Edwards-Bland, 12, dreamed of becoming a vet when he grew up. His life was cut short tragically in a Bruce Highway crash that marked the start of a horror week on the roads.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Whitsundays community has raised almost $11,000 towards a community memorial and funeral costs for a 12-year-old boy killed in a horrific Bruce Highway crash.
Stirling Edwards-Bland, from Cannonvale, died when police say a Nissan Patrol crossed into the path of the Toyota RAV4 his mother was driving south at Gregory River on their way back from the NQ Games meet in Townsville on May 1.
“It’s with great sadness that we advise the passing of our athletics family member, athlete Stirling Edwards-Bland who tragically passed away from a car (crash),” Athletics North Queensland wrote in a Facebook post.
“Stirling has been a member of Whitsunday Athletics for many years and was a very active child, competing in a range of sports in North Queensland.
“He has travelled to a range of competitions in North Queensland and is known well by fellow athletes and officials.
“Our deepest thoughts are with his family, Tracy, Simon, Austin, Arwen and many friends at this sad time.
“We ask that you respect the family’s wishes for privacy at this time. Information on services will be provided at a later date.”
Through a Facebook fundraiser, the family issued a thank you to the community for “all your donations and loving support”.
“The Edwards-Bland family want to reassure everyone, that Tracy and Austin are home from hospital and recuperating under the care of healthcare professionals and family,” the post read.
“Physical injuries will improve in time.
“Condolence books are available for members of the community to express their grief for the tragic loss of their beloved son Stirling.
“One is at the admin office at Proserpine State High School and another at Cannonvale Library.”
Fundraiser organiser Kellie Louise said the Edwards-Bland family wanted to “honour the memory of their beloved son, Stirling, who was a lover of all animals and had hopes of one day becoming a vet”.
“Funds will be put towards a community memorial and help with funeral and memorial service costs,” she said.
“The family would like Stirling’s calm and compassionate nature to be forever remembered by the community and his young life to be honoured.
“The family would like to thank everyone for their kind words and giving them space and privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
Twin Austin Edwards-Bland, 12, suffered a serious pelvic fracture in the “absolutely horrific” crash that claimed the life of his twin brother.
They were about 30km from home driving south in a Toyota RAV4 when police say preliminary investigations suggest a Nissan Patrol travelling north collided with them in the southbound lane about 6.40pm on Sunday May 1.
Stirling, 12, died at the scene.
Tracy and Austin were taken to Proserpine Hospital by ambulance in a stable condition.
Tracy was discharged from Proserpine Hospital on May 3 but the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter flew Austin to Mackay Base Hospital where he remained in a stable condition a few days longer.
The Townsville driver of the Nissan Patrol, aged 45, was discharged from Proserpine Hospital with minor injuries.
It is understood there was a cold carton of beer found in the vehicle.
“It is with a heavy heart, Swimming North Queensland Management extend out heartfelt condolences to one of our valued swimming families,” a Facebook post reads.
“A Cannonvale (Cannons) Swimming Club family had a tragic encounter as they returned home from the NQ Games meet.
“Tragically, a life was lost and other family members were hospitalised.
“On behalf of SNQ, we extend our prayers, thoughts and love to the family in this difficult time.”
Austin regularly wins gold at his club events for Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club and last month won all his freestyle events in Mackay at the North Queensland Championships, with his club taking out top points to win Champion Club.
He was the only Cannon in the 10-12 years NQ regional team at the Queensland School Sport Championships in March – competing in 10 swims.
He regularly does PBs at club and other events.
Cannonvale Cannons Swimming Club posted a short message in support of the family.
“Our thoughts go out to our swimming family involved in a tragic traffic accident,” the post read.
“We have been advised to give the family time to process what has happened, and respect the wishes of the family.
“We extend our thoughts and love to the family in this difficult time.”
Stirling was no longer competing in swimming.
But the family has also been heavily involved with Whitsunday Athletics Club where both boys have competed and mum Tracy is both a coach and club treasurer.
“It is with great sadness that we inform our athletics community of the passing of one of our young athletes in a tragic accident over the weekend,” the club said in a Facebook post.
“Our deepest condolences to our coach and treasurer Tracy and the Edwards-Bland family on the passing of their son, Stirling.
“We ask that you respect the families (sic) wishes to privacy at this time.”
Stirling and Austin were also involved in taekwondo as youngsters.
Tributes have poured in as hearts broke across the Whitsunday community.
Dawson Nationals hopeful Andrew Willcox, who has stepped aside as Whitsunday Mayor, said the tragedy had shocked the Whitsundays.
“My heart goes out to the family and my thoughts and prayers are with the family,” he said.
“As a father myself, that would be my worst nightmare to lose one of my children. At any age, but 12 years old, I don’t even want to think about it.
“I’m doing lots of kilometres up and down the road myself (during the election campaign) and it’s a timely reminder for everybody to please take care on the roads because we don’t want to see any more deaths or injuries on our highway.”
Mr Willcox, who got a cracked windscreen this week, said there were a lot of potholes and loose stones on the road, a complaint many have made on social media in the Whitsundays.
“Whether I return to Mayor or I’m successful as the new Member for Dawson – I’ll certainly be pushing for improved and better roads within our region.
“It’s how we get our supplies, our fruit and veggies to market, it’s how we get our loved ones to hospital to access vital services.
“So safer and better roads are always my priority.”
Acting Whitsunday Mayor Mike Brunker said the crash was an “absolute tragedy”.
“Our hearts go out to the family involved,” he said.
“Hopefully, they can find support within the community to get them through this.”
On Facebook, others have shared their disbelief over the tragedy.
Catherine David Powell: Absolutely devastating and heartbreaking, condolences to the family x
Shannon Doherty: Our world is less without you being a part of it young man. Rest in peace. Our prayers are with you.
Cécile de Vine: So heartbreaking! Sending all my love and condolences to this family.
Shannon Eckman: Simply heartbreaking. Our most sincere condolences for the family.
Mark Bunting: Our thoughts are with the family. A very very sad day
Townsville Tiger Sharks Swimming Club: Our sincerest condolences to the family and the Cannonvale Swim Club
Fiona Lynch: So very heartbreaking. Deepest sympathies to the family
Pioneer Swimming Club: Pioneer has you all in our thoughts and hearts
Elisabeth Smith: Such devastating news. Sending so much love and condolences to you all
Erin Harris Spratt: Our heartfelt condolences, tears and thoughts are with this beautiful family, life can be so cruel, fly high champion xxx
Jody Bancroft: Our thoughts and prayers are with the beautiful family, their loved ones and your Club Community at this time
Louise Mackay: Absolutely devastating to hear. Our thoughts and prayers to the family and Cannonvale Swim Club ️
Hayley Doherty: Hearts are breaking among our small community, no words can express how devastating this tragedy is. Love and thoughts to the family xxx
Allison McGimpsey: Just absolutely gut-wrenchingly devastating for this family. No words. Prayers are with you.
Kylie Ferriday: No this is too heartbreaking. Rest easy beautiful Angel, sending my deepest condolences to his family and friends
Heather Hicks: What a tragedy after a family day out! So sad
Kellie Hedge: This is so sad such a tragic loss of a young life. I can’t get this out of my head. Condolences to the young boys family and friends. Speedy recovery to mum and brother. ️ Hold your loved ones tight and pls stay safe on these terrible roads
Shannen Kate: My heart is absolutely broken RIP buddy
Des Wilkins: What a dreadful tragedy for that little boy – his parents and brother and family. My thoughts are with the entire family.
On the Sunday night, the rescue chopper was tasked from Mackay to take three patients to hospital from the serious two-vehicle crash, about 20km north of Proserpine.
But once the crew landed, they learned ambulances had taken three people to Proserpine Hospital and the chopper was retasked to Proserpine.
After several hours, the chopper took Austin to Mackay Base Hospital with a serious pelvic fracture. A family friend accompanied the boy in the aircraft about 11pm.
Mackay Forensic Crash Unit Senior Constable Michael Parker made a public appeal for people to come forward with any information or dashcam footage in relation to driving behaviour of the Nissan Patrol in the lead up to the crash.
Senior Constable Parker said drink-driving would be among the lines of investigation.
He said he was awaiting toxicology results for both drivers.
The rescue service described the crash as “absolutely horrific” and a “horror end to the weekend” in which they completed seven missions across the Mackay Whitsunday region including a rodeo clown injured when an angry bull got his way.
This fatal crash brought the road toll for Mackay district to eight deaths in 2022, matching the eight deaths in 2020, which was one of the worst years for fatal crashes for the region.
The Bruce Highway was initially closed in both directions but a Queensland Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said police had been able to use a truck stop as a detour lane.
Lengthy delays were experienced between Proserpine and Bowen with only the northbound lane open and traffic taking turns to travel in each direction.
Forensic Crash Unit investigators are investigating the circumstances behind the crash.
RACQ CQ Rescue also flew a seriously injured patient from Bowen after a car jack failed on Friday, allowing the vehicle he was working on crush him.
The chopper also flew a patient from St Lawrence with a life-threatening cardiac episode on Friday, and flew a critically-ill patient from Bowen to Townsville University Hospital for specialist care on Thursday.
Since the Gregory River crash that claimed little Stirling, the Mackay region has recorded another four deaths.
On Friday May 6, Glenlee man Darren Holley, 50, died in a serious Bruce Highway crash between Mackay and Rockhampton.
Dysart man Jacob Betts died on Mother’s Day while riding a black motorcycle he adored when it and a Toyota Corolla collided on Horse and Jockey Rd, near the Meadowlands Rd intersection about 5.05am.
Less than an hour later also on Mother’s Day, Sarina man Jordan Blanch, 27, was fatally stuck while walking along Sarina Beach Rd in a hit and run crash between 5.30am and 5.40am.
Now, a Calen woman has now died after a vehicle she was driving was swept off a swollen causeway into floodwaters on Wednesday May 11.
The 31 year old woman, who still had her seatbelt on when her body was found, was driving the vehicle with two passengers crossing a culvert when fast-flowing waters washed the car off Surprise Creek Rd at Mount Ossa about 5am.
Her passengers – a 50-year-old Mount Charlton man and a 30-year-old Mount Pelion woman, were able to free themselves and raise the alarm.
This brings the Mackay region’s road toll to 12 for 2022. There were 15 road fatalities recorded for the entire calendar year in 2021.
Join the conversation
Man tormented elderly cancer victim, drew pentagrams
A Queensland man accused of making his elderly neighbours feel like prisoners, including drawing pentagrams outside their homes and tormenting a cancer patient has tried to fight his eviction.
Read more
Scrap metal truck rollover, man hospitalised
A man has been hospitalised following a truck rollover which blocked an important rural road.
Read more