Two women have died after being hit by a car while trying to help an injured kangaroo on the Hume Highway in Melbourne's north. Police say a 30-year-old woman from Beveridge died at the scene, while a 30-year-old woman from Thomastown was airlifted to hospital but later died.
The incident occurred on Thursday night at Craigieburn. The pair had struck a kangaroo with their vehicle and stopped to assist it. Police believe another car travelling in the same direction did not see their vehicle until the last moment, swerving to avoid it and hitting the women at high speed.
Road policing assistant commissioner Glenn Weir warned motorists about the dangers of stopping to help wildlife, particularly at night and in drizzly conditions. He described the scene as 'terrible for the person driving behind, who struck them, and other people on the freeway who saw what happened'.
A spokesperson for wildlife rescue organisation Wires said it was 'fully understandable' that people want to help injured animals but advised contacting wildlife rescue groups instead of stopping on busy roads. Weir had appeared at a parliamentary inquiry into wildlife road strikes on Monday, which is investigating driver education and road strike-related major trauma incidents.
Victoria's road toll has risen to 205 deaths, 11 more than at the same time in 2024. Weir noted that road fatalities have fluctuated over the first eight months of 2025.
