Police have identified four young people who died in a two-vehicle crash on a major hinterland road on Queensland's Gold Coast.
The group was travelling in a sedan on the Nerang-Murwillumbah Road at Advancetown early on Saturday afternoon.
Police said it appeared the car lost control on a bend and slid into the path of an oncoming ute.
Police said they were a 22-year-old woman from Brisbane, a 20-year-old woman from Emerald, and a 20-year-old man and 21-year-old woman, both from Townsville.
The ABC understands the four young people who died were Lochlan Parker, Katrina McKeough, Courtney Smith and Kirsten Van Gorp.
The driver of the ute, a 31-year-old man, survived with minor injuries.
Emergency crews described the scene as horrific and said the road was "known" for crashes.
Gold Coast City councillor Glenn Tozer said the hinterland community was in shock.
"It's a tragic circumstance we've had to face as a community out this way," he said.
"I think for many years now, it has been identified that the road is due for some significant safety upgrades, particularly in the wet, rainy weather."
Cr Tozer said more than $30 million had recently been allocated for an upgrade to Nerang-Murwillumbah Road.
"It's just terribly sad that this tragedy has occurred before that funding could materialise into the construction of safety improvement," Cr Tozer said.
'Terrible time of loss and grief'
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said the deaths of the four young people were terrible.
"There are families that are suffering today as a result of the loss of the lives of four young Queenslanders," Mr Dick said.
"It's a terrible, terrible incident and I express my sympathies to the families, as everyone here does today, going through a terrible time of loss and grief."
Mr Dick said the added tragedy of the death of an international tourist on Fraser Island was a "reminder for all of us to stay safe on the roads".
"These are really troubling times and difficult times for Queenslanders," Mr Dick said.
"Any loss of life is a tragedy, particularly at a difficult time like this when we're all struggling in our own ways to fight back against COVID, so all of these losses are very significant."
Queensland Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said her thoughts were also with the first responders at the scene.
"We've heard that it was the most horrific case that one of the first responders has ever been to," Ms Frecklington said.
"When you've heard that four young lives have been lost on that notorious stretch of road, enough is enough."
