Rebekka’s Story

Rebekka was a 23 year old girl full of life who went backpacking for the first time in 2001. She travelled and worked for 8 months but unfortunately her time was cut short on 02/02/02. After arriving with a friend in Australia, they travelled for 3 days on a train from Sydney to Cairns, where they met 2 Kiwi cowboys who had work in the outback. These later became their knights in shining armour finding them work also in the outback as Nannies on cattle stations.

They both worked on separate cattle stations, knowing nothing about the outback and their potential dangers, with no previous knowledge or information.They were at least 7 hours drive apart. After leaving work and meeting for a break of travelling to see New Zealand, Rebekka returned to the cattle station.

The cattle station in Queensland was isolated and Rebekka worked with some cowboys/jackaroos who took her to a local bar occasionally on a weekend. It was a few hours drive, so sometimes it was taken in turn. After the night spent in the town, the group stayed over night and headed back the next morning. Rebekka was driving. There were 3 passengers. The car was said to have begun to fish tail and then rolled. Rebekka was instantly killed from not wearing a seat belt and being forced towards the steering wheel. The others in the car had facial injuries and broken bones. One survived injury but was the first to find Rebekka dead.

No one is completely sure of what happened, if the car hit a rock or an object in the road? If she swerved to avoid an animal? What speed was she driving at and why so fast? Why she didn’t have her seatbelt on? Did she fall asleep?

The inquest ruled that Rebekka died by misadventure. Ironic, as her travelling began with an ‘adventure’ of discovering a new place and people. Rebekka enjoyed her life but maybe the moral of the story was about being prepared about new places and the culture before you go. After all, we don’t drive on dirt tracks everyday in England! and to have fun safely. There is letting your hair down and letting your guard down. Would she have driven without a seatbelt at home? We’ll never know, but it could have saved her life.

Rest in peace Rebekka

Written by Louise Todd