Australian teens ‘lucky to be alive’ after tree pierces car windscreen on K’Gari

A group of Aussie teenagers have escaped injury after a tree pierced the windscreen of their car, passing just centimetres from one girl’s head as she took evasive action.

Photos from the incident on K’Gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) look like a scene from Hollywood, a twisted vision akin to something from the Final Destination series, but the near-miss was all too real.

The teens were joining a growing number of young Australians taking their end-of-year “Schoolies” holiday in non-traditional locations, as resort towns like the Gold Coast lose their grip on the lucrative market.

They were driving down a sandy road on K’Gari, a large island off the coast of Queensland, when a tree fell on their four-wheel-drive, one branch dramatically piercing the windscreen on the passenger side and sending a pointed wooden shard straight through the headrest and into the back seat.

The tree pierced the passenger headrest. Photo / Madill Motor Group

Volunteers from the Christian Red Frogs charity, which supports youngsters at events like Schoolies, were first on the scene to offer support to the teens who all survived unscathed.

“There was a girl actually sitting in the passenger seat, she saw it and dodged it,” Tim Winnington, Fraser Coast Red Frogs co-ordinator, told 9News.

“They were so lucky not to get injured.”

The teens had a lucky escape. Photo / Madill Motor Group

A Facebook user shared photos of the car and thanked the volunteers for their efforts.

“Biggest shout out to Red Frogs Australia for looking after our girls on K’Gari last week, they were all so lucky to walk away with no one being injured,” they wrote, describing it as a “traumatic experience” for the young women.

The photos came from Madill Motor Group, who initially shared them as they provided the car involved, writing that the teens were “lucky to be alive”.

“We’re so glad no one was hurt in this incredible scene,” they added.

“A great reminder to always be aware of your surroundings as freak accidents like this can happen to anyone.”

The lucky girls with the Red Frogs volunteers. Photo / Madill Motor Group