Four children are believed to have been abducted. Photo / Supplied, Queensland Police
Four children have been abducted from a property in central Queensland by a man "known to them" overnight.
Police issued an amber alert on Thursday evening after the children - aged 8, 7, 4 and 3 - were taken from the home near Mackay.
Police believe they could be "at significant risk".
They were snatched near The Leap by Joshua Carter, 28, at around 11.30am, police said.
The children are all white, slim and have brown hair.
A white man with a solid build was seen taking the children and leaving in a white 2005 Nissan Patrol 4WD with the number plate 063BC9, police said.
He is about 175cm tall with a shaved head and large beard.
The man has several tattoos on his neck, face and body. Several make reference to the Joker from Batman, including the words "Why so serious?" inked across his right cheek.
The car was last seen heading towards the Bruce Highway in Mackay.
The attack lasted almost 8 minutes, with pauses to replace the knife blade.