Four wheel drive becomes stuck in water at Mermaid Lagoon, Bribie Island

A four-wheel drive has plunged to an untimely demise after being stranded in a new water crossing that’s formed on Bribie Island. See the photos and video.

A 4WD is seen crossing a new channel that formed after a lagoon broke its banks on Bribie Island. Picture: Prellin Chetty

A four-wheel drive has plunged to an untimely demise after being stranded in a new water crossing that formed after a lagoon at Bribie Island broke its banks.

Images have surfaced online of a 2019 Mitsubishi Triton that became stranded in the overflow from Mermaid Lagoon, Bribie Island, on Monday.

Local tow truck driver Rick Williams was tasked with retrieving the stricken vehicle from the recently formed water channel.

The 2019 Mitsubishi Triton Dual Cab utility became stuck in the water streaming out of Mermaid Lagoon, Bribie Island. Picture: Facebook

“These poor buggers went up the beach and they’ve gone through the water successfully, mucked around for a hour or so, before making their way back,” Mr Williams said.

“They’ve tried to come back the same line again and ended up in the drink.

“The poor bugger only had the vehicle for one month, we’ve all had to learn at some stage.”

The incident comes after wild footage emerged of a four-wheel drive bashing its way through a channel of water that formed after a lagoon broke its banks at Bribie Island.

A four-wheel drive was filmed crossing a fast-flowing torrent of water from a lagoon near Ocean Beach, Bribie Island on Saturday, as a large crowd of bystanders watched on.

The footage of the crossing was uploaded to Facebook group ‘I got bogged at Bribie Island’ on Saturday evening, attracting comments from followers of the four-wheel drive enthusiast group.

Several people praised the driver for managing to complete the crossing.

“Thatz (sic) how its done for you princesses,” one commenter said.

“Just send it,” another commenter said.

“Show off,” another commenter added.

However, the wild vision also attracted its fair share of detractors, blasting the driver over their actions.

“There’s always one,” one commenter said.

“F--k that,” another commenter added.

“Flog,” another commenter said.

The four-wheel drive crossing comes after several lagoons reportedly broke their banks on Bribie Island, after South East Queensland was smashed by an intense rainfall event that occurred overnight on Thursday, February 15, that saw Brisbane receive a 180mm deluge.

Drone footage captured by Tye Walsh has revealed the extent of water that has flowed out of one of the lagoons and into the Coral Sea.

A Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation spokesman said a park alert was issued after Welsby Lagoon, Mermaid Lagoon, and Norfolk Creek broke through to the ocean.

“This is a natural process that occurs after periods of heavy rainfall,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman acknowledged reports that had people had been sighted digging at the edges of Norfolk Creek.

“We are aware of community reports of people digging near Norfolk Creek, however a washout was imminent, regardless of human interference, as water had already started to top the natural barrier,” he said.

“Members of the public are reminded not to disturb the island’s beach and coastline as this can be dangerous and these areas are protected.

“Rangers have carried out patrols of the area and have provided safety advice to visitors and motorists.

“Deep washouts are likely around all the lagoons with conditions changing on a tidal basis.”

Reports have also emerged of campers being stuck on the northern side of the lagoons for days following the deluge.

Brisbane man Jake Allen said he and his friends were trapped at their camp site from Thursday until Saturday.

“I headed up on Thursday night to go camping and the crossing had just started to break through at the last lagoon,” Mr Allen said.

“We came back the next day and it was wide and flowing pretty aggressively so we were trapped.”

Mr Allen added it could have been a potentially dangerous situation for campers with limited supplies.

“I couldn’t have stayed there another night, we ran out of ice, we ran out of water pretty much,” he said.

“I had to push myself to get through the crossings, I didn’t want to do it, but I had to do it.”

Mr Allen, who previously lived on Bribie Island for nine years, added that he had “never seen it like that ever”.

“I’ve seen breakouts before at the lagoon, but this was something else,” he said.

“Naturally it breaks itself, I guess there has been a lot of rain and it hasn’t broken for a while, but I’ve never seen it like that before.”

Originally published as Four wheel drive becomes stuck in water at Mermaid Lagoon, Bribie Island