A wedding dress designer who lost both of her legs and an arm when she was thrown from her tractor and run over saved her own life by fighting through the pain to call for help.
Claire McKenzie, a 61-year-old mum, was alone on her property just before midday on Thursday when she came off her tractor and was run over by the slasher.
Ms McKenzie, who neighbours described as a "quiet lady with a love of nature", had bought the tractor and slasher to maintain her 50 hectare property in Ballandean, in Queensland s Granite Belt region, during bushfire season.
Ms McKenzie suffered terrible injuries in the incident, but managed in spite of this to remain concious to call emergency services for help.
The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) scrambled a rescue helicopter and police rushed to the scene from nearby Stanthorpe.
She was airlifted from the scene and delivered by helicopter to the roof of Brisbane's major trauma centre, Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Mail Online reports.
Stephen Jones, spokesman for QAS, later said he had "never seen or heard" anything like Ms McKenzie's "life-threatening injuries".
'She received significant multiple trauma to her limbs, but was conscious and able to talk to paramedics, who were able to stabilise the lady,' he said.
'It's just a miracle she had enough sense to be able to get onto that phone really quickly and get that help to her. Otherwise it would be an absolute tragedy here today.
A resident of Ballandean, who was not named, said the local community had been shocked by the news of Ms McKenzie's injuries.
'She keeps to herself, she's a very quiet person,' the 83-year-old neighbour said.
'She was farming, she has gardens, she's a lover of nature."
They went on to say that she had bought the tractor and slasher in a bid to keep her property fire resistant and had been mowing the grass when it happened.
Ballandean which lay on the NSW border south of Stanthorpe, and has fewer than 200 residents, had been evacuated back in 2019 when bushfires threatened to engulf it.
Ms McKenzie has moved to the tiny town 240km south-west of Brisbane in 2016 after working for three decades, making couture and bridal outfits.
She had started up her Wedding Desire business via online handmade and craft site Etsy.
According to her Etsy and LinkedIn profiles, Ms McKenzie makes wedding dresses, as well as bridal jewellery, candles and other items. She loved vintage style and sold to "all parts of Australia, Spain, the US and the UK".
