A man is in a life-threatening condition after falling from a golf buggy on Hamilton Island, just days after a woman died in a separate incident on the tourist hotspot. The man, aged in his 50s, was driving a golf buggy along Whitsunday Blvd at 8:53pm on Tuesday when he fell and suffered a critical head injury. He was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital, where he remains in a serious condition.
Similar accident four years ago
Almost four years to the day, Sydney woman Marina Hanna died in a similar accident at the same location. The 29-year-old was a passenger in a buggy driven by her husband, Robbie Awad, during their honeymoon in 2022. The buggy overturned on Whitsunday Blvd, and Hanna sustained critical injuries, dying at the scene. The couple had been married in Sydney only 10 days earlier.
Awad was initially charged over his wife's death but was found not guilty of driving without due care and attention causing death after the buggy was found to be faulty—it unexpectedly sped up and tipped while he was making a U-turn. However, he had earlier pleaded guilty to using a mobile phone while driving and not wearing seatbelts.
History of incidents on the island
Hamilton Island has a history of accidents involving golf buggies and other alternative transport modes, as the island is largely car-free. Many tourists mistakenly believe road rules are relaxed, but authorities stress that the same rules apply as on the mainland, including penalties for drink driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and using a mobile phone while driving. The speed limit is 40 km/h, drivers must be at least 21 years old with a full licence, and a maximum of four people are allowed in the carts.
Just days before Tuesday's incident, a woman died after crashing an e-bike on Melaleuca Drive on Friday. She collided with a tree and was treated by paramedics but died shortly after.
Previous crashes highlight risks
In May 2023, five people were injured in a single golf buggy collision, with one airlifted to hospital in a serious condition after the vehicle, driven by an 18-year-old woman, crashed. In 2016, a six-seater buggy carrying nine people crashed, critically injuring a baby and her mother, who were airlifted to hospital in life-threatening conditions, and seriously injuring several others. The company that owned the buggy was fined after an investigation found the brake pads were completely worn down.
In recent years, new modes of transport such as e-scooters and e-bikes have also been involved in accidents on the island. Authorities continue to urge visitors to follow road rules and exercise caution.
