The Illawarra community is in mourning after a young local woman was killed in what Queensland police have described as a deliberate and intentional act on the Sunshine Coast.
A Tragic Holiday Turned Deadly
Mallee Smith, aged 24 from Shellharbour, was on holiday visiting family in Queensland when the unthinkable happened. At approximately 11:55pm on Saturday, December 13, 2025, she was standing with a group of seven other pedestrians on a footpath in Maroochydore.
Police allege a 38-year-old man, driving a Toyota Yaris, mounted the kerb and struck the group in a targeted attack. Following the incident, the driver allegedly fled the scene but was arrested a short time later.
Mallee was airlifted in a critical condition to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries and passed away on Monday, December 15.
A Promising Life Cut Short
Mallee Smith was a valued and dedicated member of the Shellharbour City Council team, working as a community insights planner. Council CEO Wayde Peterson expressed the profound shock felt by her colleagues, describing Mallee as a dedicated and caring team member who strived to improve the quality of life of the community she served.
An accomplished academic, she had recently completed a Bachelor of Science with Honours at the University of Wollongong (UOW). Her passion for her field took her to Fiji for four months in 2024 to conduct research for her honours thesis, titled 'Gender in disaster mitigation and resilience planning in Fiji'. She had also worked as a research assistant at UOW.
A former student of Moruya High School, Mallee's academic excellence was recognised with a place on the 2019 HSC Honour Roll for all-round achievement.
Police Investigation and Charges
Queensland Police have stated the crash is being treated as an intentional act, stemming from a prior minor altercation between the driver and a group of males. Detective Acting Inspector Peter Hocken explained that the two women in the group, including Mallee, were unknown to the males and were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Three other pedestrians—two 18-year-old men and a 19-year-old man—were taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The 38-year-old driver has been charged with eight counts of attempted murder. Police have indicated these charges may be upgraded following Mallee's death. He is scheduled to face Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Friday, December 19.
As tributes flow for a young life ended too soon, the community is left grappling with a senseless tragedy that has claimed a talented and much-loved local woman.
