‘It's the whole point': Cop blasts stranded couple after ute gets bogged on closed road
Police have scolded a young Queensland couple after their car was bogged on a closed road, leaving them stranded for three days.
The pair, a 19-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man from the state's Tablelands Region, were driving along Cape Melville road in Cape York – which was closed to the public due to the wet weather – during the Easter long weekend on Friday, when their ute became stuck in thick mud and their winch broke.
Police attempted to locate the couple, but roads in the area were closed and impassable due to the weather conditions.
Three days later, police in a helicopter were able to rescue the pair – who had set up a tent near their ute and had enough food and water to last a few days.
Video footage released by Queensland Police shows the moment an officer travelling in a rescue helicopter circled the bogged vehicle from above before touching down on the remote road on Saturday morning.
'How are you guys?' the officer initially asked the man.
The officer then asked if the pair were from Cooktown, before telling them off for travelling on a closed road.
'The roads are closed. That's the whole point,' he said.
'You shouldn't be in this area and this is what the whole point is.'
The officer then informed the couple to collect a few essential items from the car as they weren't able to 'take a lot of weight' before taking them to safety.
Many online also slammed the couple's actions, with some even calling for them to be fined.
'Seriously … what does 'road closed' do they not understand,' one person wrote on social media.
'Road closed and not the knowledge or skills to be there,' said another.
'Blatant disregard for their own safety by passing the road closed sign …. We'll have the cost of the recovery and rescue back thanks,' another added.
'Give them a huge fine they might think twice about going around a closed sign again,' another suggested.
Special Constable Adam Tickner said the pair did the right thing by staying with their car but stressed roads in the area were closed 'for a reason'.
'It was fortunate that these people had enough food and water to last a few days, however, this is very challenging terrain, especially during the wet season,' Special Constable Tickner said in a statement.
'These roads are closed for a reason, and phone reception is limited.
'When travelling on The Cape, ensure you have a satellite phone or personal locator beacon, recovery gear, spare parts, first aid, and adequate food, water and fuel.'
Police urged anyone travelling to remote parts of Far North Queensland to plan their trip and check ahead for road conditions.
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The Advertiser
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Sky News AU
04-06-2025
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