Tragic death of Levi Hanna highlights dangers regional families navigate

The horrific crash that killed a schoolboy in front of his little sister is a grim reminder of how often regional families run the gauntlet on dangerous roads every day.

With his little sister in tow, teen Levi Hanna caught the bus home from Gympie High every day.

Until this month, they had safely run the gauntlet across the busy 100km/h road to their house every time the school bus dropped them off along Tin Can Bay Road at Canina.

There are no pedestrian crossings or traffic lights; no lollipop ladies to make sure all is safe.

There is no reduced speed limit.

Many motorists would be oblivious to the dangerous dash schoolchildren make every afternoon.

But the many families that live along that stretch of road at Canina knew all too well that it was only a matter of time until tragedy struck.

When a car collected the 14-year-old boy on February 1, his parents were forced to turn off life support when it became clear his injuries were not survivable.

Friends, family and people from across the region will descend on Rainbow Beach on Friday morning to say goodbye and pay their respects to the beloved Gympie teen.

Levi Hanna's mother Lilly Zrehen announced the funeral for her son will be held at Rainbow Beach. Photo: Lilly Zrehen.

Levi’s loving extended family will never be the same. They will bear the pain of this loss for the rest of their lives.

Levi’s 12-year-old sister Scarlett, who was hailed a hero for her incredible courage in the minutes after her big brother was struck, will forever bear the scars of that day.

Levi went “flying” right before her eyes, with eye witnesses describing how she immediately dropped her school bag and ran for her brother.

She then stepped out on to the road to halt the traffic while first-responders did what they could for Levi.

Levi Hanna fought for his life after being struck by a car at Canina on the afternoon of Wednesday February 1, 2023.

Levi was flown to Queensland Children’s Hospital in a critical condition that afternoon, but he would never wake up.

Inside the hospital in Brisbane, his family gathered from “all over the country” at his bedside, desperately hoping his fate would change.

As hearts went out to Levi and his family, an outpouring of grief, donations and heartfelt tributes flooded a GoFundMe page.

A helicopter was called to airlift Levi on the afternoon of February 1, 2023.

Devastatingly, the time came for his family to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off the life support of their “warrior boy”.

It’s a decision no parent should ever be forced to make.

The family played Levi’s favourite fishing shows on YouTube next to him in the hope they would help him wake up.

His family — showered by support, sympathies and a community that cried with them — pleaded to all who knew Levi to give him the send-off he deserved at 7.14pm on February 4, 2023.

“Levi, our gorgeous baby boy, has already left us in one way, but his heart is still going,” a statement from his family said on February 4.

“It’s not how my warrior boy would want to be, so at 7.14pm tonight we are going to let his soul be free, so he can fish forever.

“Now we can all say goodbye together at the same time, so if you love our boy think of him tonight at 7.14pm.

“Fourteen because that’s our boy’s age, and it’s the day of his birthday too; September 14, 2008, when he came into this world and made our lives amazing forever.”

The Gympie community gathered at the home of junior rugby league on February 4, to light up the night and give Levi Hanna a touching send-off. Photo: Tessa Palmer Ross

The Gympie community came together at Jack Stokes Oval to celebrate his life, honour his memory and mourn the passing of a beautiful young soul and keen junior Gympie Devil.

Lights and candles shone brightly when the clock reached 7.14pm and it was time to say goodbye.

Oval lights shone high above sports fields across the wider region as Sunshine Coast rugby league clubs shared the pain and broken hearts of the Gympie Devils.

Caloundra Sharks Junior Rugby League lighting up their grounds for Levi Hanna.

The generous and heartfelt support of the rugby league community did not stop there.

Following Levi’s passing, the Brisbane Broncos held a minute of silence for the young player after supplying tickets for the Devils to watch the Brisbane Broncos vs Gold Coast Titans match on the Sunshine Coast.

The horrific crash was not just a wake-up call, but a grim reminder that some regional and rural families must navigate dangerous roads and conditions as part of their daily lives.

Residents living on Tin Can Bay Road voiced their fears and said they had to risk their lives every time they exited their driveway.

Residents united on Gate Rd and Tin Can Bay Rd to express their ongoing concerns of the 10km stretch between Kin Kin Rd and Wilson’s Pocket Rd. Philippa Star, Tirtzah Townsend, Marian Dunchue, Nigel Dunchue, Bronwyn Evans, Lee Garrels, Loretta Mills, Mr Townsend and Robert Sawtell.

A demand for a reduced speed limit was brought to the table as “a start” to fixing the situation at Canina.

The speed limit is 100km/h, but they say driving at the “recommended” 80km/h results in an intimidating parade of cars and trucks building up in the rearview mirror.

Residents also called for improved visibility, bus shelters and flashing signs for children crossing to protect the students who have to run the gauntlet daily.

They join a chorus of voices campaigning for safety improvements on the Tin Can Bay Road for years.

Rainbow Beach’s Tony Stewart is passionate about road safety improvements.

Canina residents congregate at the intersection of Gate Rd and Tin Can Bay Road to express their ongoing concerns about the 10km stretch between Kin Kin Rd and Wilson’s Pocket Rd.

Gympie LNP MP Tony Perrett sponsored a petition Mr Stewart organised in 2022.

He said Tin Can Bay Rd and the Mary Valley Highway were two of several state-controlled roads in the Gympie region in desperate need of upgrades.

“Two years ago, I sponsored a petition of 12,148 petitioners seeking an upgrade to the road,” Mr Perrett said.

“It quoted statistics which showed it was the second most dangerous road in the Wide Bay, marginally behind the Bruce Highway.”

Mr Perrett said the Mary Valley Road Safety Report identified the Mary Valley Highway (gazettal name Gympie-Brooloo Road) needed upgrading.

He said the report had been delayed, reclassified as a safety review, and then not publicly released as state government road maintenance remained underfunded.

Mr Perrett said these roads remained responsible for fatalities, near misses and crashes as drivers “become frustrated and take risks” because of poor conditions.

The Gympie region has been booming for the past 12 to 24 months.

Between 2011 and 2021 it grew by 6000, accelerated by the Covid pandemic and the first three sections of the Cooroy to Curra bypass of the Bruce Highway, which has made commuting to the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane faster and safer.

Sadly, other infrastructure does not appear to have kept up with the rising traffic volume.

Potholes, narrow stretches, lack of shoulders, rough surfaces and blind corners were just some of the factors identified in RACQ’s unroadworthy report in 2022 that contribute to the disgraceful road conditions of the Wide Bay Burnett.

Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey confirmed some road works were recently completed, under way or planned for 31 sections of road as more than $1.5 billion was committed to infrastructure projects in the Wide Bay and Burnett.

Transport and Main Roads said $19m had been spent improving safety on Tin Can Bay Rd since 2020, but department staff could not confirm whether the stretch through Canina was in line for any sort of upgrade.

This reporting is part of a wider campaign within the Wide Bay Burnett region to fix our roads.

Mr Bailey said the planning study, which was expected to be completed in the next year, would determine future funding decisions.

This publication has campaigned throughout February against deadly and sub-standard roads in this region, the cost to business, and the toll families carry from the tragedies and injuries they can cause.

As the region gathers to say goodbye to Levi at his favourite fishing beach on Friday, we hope his death is not in vain and that some common sense from those in authority at the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and the minister’s office, will prevail.

The logical next step is to reduce the speed limit on a 10km stretch of Tin Can Bay Rd, put in bus stops and add flashing lights to ensure we never have to lose another beautiful child this way.

Originally published as Tragic death of Levi Hanna highlights dangers regional families navigate