A spontaneous performance of Amazing Grace by a mystery bagpiper wearing high-vis work fluoros on the M1, has emotionally touched a local family mourning the recent loss of a family member.
Amber-May Robertson and her husband, Andrew, were driving on the M1 to get pancakes with their granddaughter, Ryleigh, when something caught their eye.
"As we went under the bridge at Oxenford, we both sort of looked up and there was a gentleman playing the bagpipes," Ms Robertson said.
"And we both looked at each other — because my husband's father, Alex, was Scottish and he'd just passed away the week before."
Ms Robertson said they could not believe what they were seeing and it felt like a sign.
The family, who had been in Canberra before the border closure for Alex's funeral, decided to pull off at the nearest exit and to see if they could find the man.
"Just as we pulled into the carpark … he was putting his bagpipes into the back of the ute," he said.
"My husband was just so choked up he couldn't speak.
"So, I'm leaning through the window going, 'Excuse me, my father-in-law is Scottish and he's just passed away and we were just wondering if we could hear some of your bagpipe music?'
"He just looked at us — and I think he could just tell, because we were both crying at that point, and he's just like 'sure'."
The mystery musician placed his hat on the four-year-old Ryleigh and began to play Amazing Grace to the Robertson family.
"It was just beautiful," she said.
"She [Ryleigh] was the only family member who did not go to his funeral, and she was the only one missing, that's why it makes it super special."
Mystery bagpiper
The family only knew the man by the name Shane and posted to the Locale Northern Gold Coast Facebook group in the hope of tracking him down to offer their thanks.
"Now that we've calmed down we'd like to see him again," she said.
"I just want to give him a little gift."
The ABC reached out to the mystery bagpiper but he respectfully declined to be interviewed.
His daughter, Taylor Richardson, said he would prefer to leave it "as a mystery good deed".
