Nearly half of a North Queensland town has been without power for more than 12 hours after a car ploughed through the fence of a property and destroyed a power pole.
A police spokeswoman said the ute crashed into the pole on the corner of Bundersen Avenue and Jimmy Rock Road at Midge Point, north of Mackay, about 11:15pm on Thursday.
The spokeswoman said when emergency services arrived about midnight, the driver had disappeared from the scene.
The resident of the property said the car hit the fence "at speed".
"Unfortunately I now have a lot of clean-up to do and no power at the same time," she said.
About 212 properties remain without power in the town with a population of just over 400 people.
An Ergon Energy spokesman said 593 properties — including some businesses or sheds where people did not reside — were initially without power, but many were restored several hours later.
Ergon Energy expected to have the remaining homes reconnected by 3pm.
The Mackay region received nearly 200mm of rain on Thursday, with another 300mm expected this weekend.
"[Power crews] are doing an amazing job considering all the carnage and wet weather," the resident said.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident and said the car had not been reported stolen.
The driver has not been taken into custody.
