Truck driver charged after 14-year-old girl killed in Bruce Highway crash

Key facts

• A 14-year-old girl from Brunswick Heads died in a multi-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Apple Tree Creek on October 10, 2025.
• The driver of a Volvo prime mover, a 32-year-old Park Ridge man, has been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death.
• The crash occurred about 2am when the northbound truck collided with a white Mazda CX-5 and a white Toyota HiLux travelling south.
• The Mazda driver, a 22-year-old Sarina woman, was treated for minor injuries; the HiLux driver, a 22-year-old Sarina man, was uninjured.
• The accused was released on strict bail and is due to appear in Southport Magistrate’s Court on May 14.
• A former petrol station on the Bruce Highway in Kennedy, 10 km north of Cardwell, is listed for $1.2 million plus GST.

Fatal collision on Queensland’s coastal artery

A 14-year-old girl from Brunswick Heads was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway in Queensland’s Bundaberg region last October. Police allege that a Volvo prime mover travelling northbound on the highway in Apple Tree Creek collided with a white Mazda CX-5 and a white Toyota HiLux travelling in the opposite direction at about 2am on October 10, 2025. The teenager, who was a passenger in the Mazda, was declared dead at the scene. The driver of the Mazda, a 22-year-old woman from Sarina, was treated for minor injuries, while the driver of the HiLux, a 22-year-old man also from Sarina, was not hurt.

Truck driver charged and bailed

The driver of the prime mover, a 32-year-old man from Park Ridge, was not injured in the crash. He has since been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death. Police released him from custody with strict bail conditions, and he is scheduled to appear before Southport Magistrate’s Court on May 14. The charge carries serious penalties under Queensland law, reflecting the fatal consequences of the collision. The case adds to the scrutiny of safety on the Bruce Highway, a 1,679-kilometre route that links Brisbane to Cairns and carries thousands of vehicles daily.

A separate opportunity: former petrol station listed for $1.2 million

In a contrasting development along the same highway, a former petrol station in Kennedy, about 10 kilometres north of Cardwell and 30 kilometres south of Tully, has been listed for sale at $1.2 million plus GST. The 1.13-hectare site at 56115 Bruce Highway is being marketed as a potential pit stop for travellers, with agents suggesting it could be transformed into a caravan park with a convenience store. Listing agent Hercules Argyros of LJ Hooker Commercial Tully described the property as a “gold mine” for such a use, noting its direct exposure to one of Queensland’s main touring routes. “If I had the money, that’s what I would do,” he said, pointing to the site’s ability to capture passing traffic and overnight stays.

Gateway to the Kirrama Range and inland touring circuit

The property sits at the gateway to the Kirrama Range, with a left turn onto Kennedy Creek Road leading about 25 kilometres inland before connecting to Kirrama Range Road. The drive from Cardwell through to Blencoe Falls – which can take less than three hours – transitions from coastal cane fields to eucalyptus scrub and into dense tropical rainforest as it climbs into Girringun National Park. Tourism bodies describe Blencoe Falls as “among the most spectacular in the country,” though it remains relatively under the radar. The route forms part of a broader inland touring circuit that extends through towns such as Mount Garnet and Innot Hot Springs – known for its mineral waters – before linking to Undara Volcanic National Park, home to one of the world’s longest and best-preserved lava tube systems.

Visitor numbers and highway traffic

The Tropical North Queensland region attracts about 2.7 million visitors annually, with much of that travel by car along the Bruce Highway, where thousands of vehicles pass through each day. The Kennedy site, while appearing remote, has historically benefited from its location. The highway’s dual role as a vital transport corridor and a tourist route underscores the competing pressures on the road: it must accommodate heavy freight vehicles like the Volvo prime mover involved in the fatal crash, as well as leisure travellers heading to national parks and coastal destinations.

Outlook: safety concerns and development potential

The fatal crash near Apple Tree Creek has reignited discussions about road safety on the Bruce Highway, which has been the site of numerous serious accidents. The upcoming court appearance of the truck driver will be closely watched by advocates calling for improved infrastructure and enforcement. Meanwhile, the listing of the former petrol station in Kennedy highlights the ongoing economic activity along the highway, with entrepreneurs eyeing opportunities to cater to the steady flow of tourists. Whether the site will be developed into a caravan park remains to be seen, but its sale will test investor appetite for roadside ventures in remote but well-travelled locations.

A highway of contrasts

The Bruce Highway embodies the contradictions of regional Queensland: it is both a lifeline for communities and a site of tragedy, a route for commerce and a gateway to wilderness. The two stories – a fatal crash and a commercial listing – illustrate the highway’s varied impact on those who travel it and those who live along it. As the legal process unfolds for the truck driver, and as the Kennedy property seeks a buyer, the highway continues to shape the lives of Queenslanders, for better and for worse.

The bottom line

• A 14-year-old girl died in a multi-vehicle crash on the Bruce Highway at Apple Tree Creek on October 10, 2025, allegedly caused by a truck driver who has been charged.
• The accused driver, a 32-year-old Park Ridge man, faces a charge of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and is due in court on May 14.
• The Bruce Highway is a 1,679-km coastal route linking Brisbane to Cairns, carrying thousands of vehicles daily and serving as a major tourist artery.
• A former petrol station in Kennedy, on the same highway, is listed for $1.2 million with potential as a caravan park and convenience store for travellers.
• The Kennedy site sits at the gateway to the Kirrama Range and an inland touring circuit that includes Blencoe Falls and Undara Volcanic National Park.
• Tropical North Queensland attracts 2.7 million visitors annually, many travelling by car along the Bruce Highway.