Cambooya organises special community event to honour life of five-year-old crash victim

A small community will say farewell next week to a bright five-year-old who was tragically killed in a crash that has rocked the town’s residents.

A community event has been organised to honour the memory of Cambooya State School student Sadie, who was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Vale View south of Toowoomba on May 13, 2025.

A small town has banded together to support of the family of a young girl killed in a horrific crash south of Toowoomba this month — an incident that has rocked the tight-knit community.

Five-year-old Sadie (whose last name has been withheld at request of the family) was laid to rest at a private ceremony on Friday morning, following the tragic incident on May 10 at Vale View.

A special community event has now been organised for June 7 at Sadie’s school at Cambooya, in a bid to not only support her family but also heal the town of 2200 that has been hit hard by her death.

Co-organiser and family friend Mandy Walker said the community event, which will include pig races, live music, Aboriginal face painting, a skateboarding and hula hooping workshop and a balloon release tribute, would aim to “bring some light into the darkness”.

The two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Luck Rd and Newman Rd at Vale View about 11.40am.

“It’s important to not only celebrate her but her family but also (acknowledge) the ripple effect that something like this has on the community,” she said.

“It’s a great opportunity to show support, step up and create new connections.

“It’s affected so many people — it’s rolled our community, it’s affected the teachers and the kids.

“It’s put a dark cloud over our little town, so we need to change that into a rainbow.”

Ms Walker said Cambooya and the wider district had thrown its support behind Sadie’s family, including by providing them with meals and other essential items.

A GoFundMe campaign organised by family friend Glen Johns raised $38,000 in a matter of days.

“They’ve all stepped in, the school, the P and C and the community have been great — the lady at the post office has organised meals for the family for weeks, people have dropped off things to support this family,” Ms Walker said.

“We don’t have mailboxes, that’s how small our town is — everyone can just lean on each other.”

Sadie’s Day Out kicks off on Saturday, June 7 from 1pm at Cambooya State School.

Originally published as Cambooya organises special community event to honour life of five-year-old crash victim