A submerged vehicle believed to belong to two missing international tourists has been found in floodwaters near Kilkivan, west of Gympie, as emergency services intensify their search across Queensland's flooded North Burnett region.
Queensland Police confirmed on Wednesday that the Silver Subaru Forrester was located in the water. Drone footage captured by media showed the four-wheel-drive partially submerged, though the interior could not be clearly seen. The discovery marks a significant turning point in the search for the two missing travellers.
The pair, aged 26 and 23, are international tourists who were travelling from Brisbane to the North Burnett region to begin farm work. Their final phone signal pinged at Kilkivan on Sunday night, an area now heavily impacted by flooding. They were only reported missing on Wednesday after failing to reach their destination.
The timing reflects the speed and scale of the flooding crisis across the region. The Bureau of Meteorology issued major flood warnings for the Burnett River and numerous other waterways across Queensland, with persistent monsoonal rainfall causing multiple rivers to exceed major flood levels. Kilkivan sits directly in the path of the swollen Burnett catchment as floodwaters move downstream.
Search operations began on Wednesday afternoon but were suspended at nightfall, resuming at first light. Emergency services have described the situation as complex; almost 800 roads across Queensland have been cut by floodwaters, limiting access to large parts of the region and complicating rescue efforts.
The flooding has already affected communities across the wider region. More than 400 homes and businesses were under threat due to looming floodwaters in Bundaberg, with major evacuation orders issued. Local officials urged residents to leave immediately, comparing the expected flood levels to the devastating 2010 natural disaster.
Queensland Police urged anyone with information about the missing tourists to contact authorities. The Queensland Government disaster dashboard continues to provide updates on flooding across affected regions.