• White ute remains overturned and bogged down in sand
• Opportunistic thieves have ransacked the car for parts
• Do you know more? Email maisy.rae@dailymail.com.au 

By MAISY RAE

Published: 08:29 GMT, 2 January 2026 | Updated: 12:14 GMT, 2 January 2026

Shocking footage has emerged of a New Year's Day joyride-gone-wrong after a 4WD was left submerged on Queensland's Fraser Island.

It's believed the white ute became bogged down in the sand in the early hours of January 1, however who was driving the car remains unconfirmed.

The vehicle, which is believed to be a Toyota Hilux, was found near the east side of the island near the Yidney Rock Bypass on Thursday morning by local authorities.

No people were trapped inside.

Despite efforts from emergency crews, including the use of a digger, to remove it from the sand, the vehicle remains bogged in.

But in a shocking new update, footage seen by the Daily Mail shows the car has now been ransacked by opportunistic thieves just hours after police left.

The video shows the car has nearly been stripped entirely of its parts.

Emergency crews tried to remove the vehicle from the sand to no avail

Queensland Police were also on scene and cordoned off the area with police tape

The vehicle's four wheels have been taken, along with the registration plates and items that were being stored in its canopy. 

The police tape can still be seen limply hanging on to the car's metal structure.

Kev and Adele, who shared the footage from their Indefinite Leave Facebook page, said they don't think the ute will be getting moved anytime soon.

'It's going to take some serious equipment now to remove it I imagine,' they said in a social media post.

'Photos online show tyre circles in the sand near the car, maybe they were from someone else, possibly.

'The car is in a 40km/h speed zone. The beach is unforgiving when it comes to reckless driving. Stay safe everyone.'

The couple, who captured footage of the ute at 7am this morning during high tide, said they returned to the scene five hours later to find the car completely stripped.

'[It] doesn't take long for people to strip and steal does it,' they said, before joking, 'Less to remove now I guess!' 

Kev and Adele, who run the Indefinite Leave Facebook page said it 'didn't take long for people to strip and steal' parts from the car

This footage of the car was captured at 7am on Friday morning

Five hours later, the car had been entirely ransacked for its parts by thieves

The post garnered hundreds of comments with many people commenting on how the fuel dripping out of the tank would impact the local environment.

'Why didn't that loader dig it out yesterday. I'm sure it wouldn't have caused any more damage to an already written off car,' Matthew Lusa said. 

'The pollution from the debris falling off of it with the wave action would be of more concern than not damaging the car with a loader... fuels and oils too. Get it gone asap you'd think.'

Another person asked: 'Can't someone take the police tape off before it gets stuck on some dingo or sea bird.'

A Queensland Police spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Mail that officers have been in contact with the vehicle's owner.

'Police attended Yidney Rocks on K’gari at approximately 8:30am on 1 January following reports of an upturned 4x4 vehicle on the beach,' they said.

'No one was located in the vehicle. Enquiries with the vehicle owner have been made and no criminal offences have been detected.'