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A wedding fashion designer who lost both her legs and an arm in a horrific lawn mowing incident managed to save her own life by fighting through the pain and dialing 000.
Claire McKenzie, 61, had bought a tractor and forage harvester to keep her 50-acre estate in Ballandean, in Queensland’s Granite Belt region, safe during bushfire season.
Ms. McKenzie, a mother described by neighbors as a ‘quiet lady with a love of nature’, was alone on her property just before noon on Thursday when she was thrown from her tractor and the slasher ran her over.
Despite the horrific injuries and heavy bleeding, Ms. McKenzie remained conscious and was able to call emergency services for help – with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) dispatching a rescue helicopter and police rushing from nearby Stanthorpe.
Bridal designer Claire McKenzie (left) was mowing her 50-acre estate in the historic wine-industry town of Ballandean, 150 miles north of Brisbane, when she was thrown from her tractor and the slasher severed three of her limbs
The 61-year-old was mowing for bushfire season three years after fires engulfed the small town forcing evacuation, but was catastrophically injured when her butcher fell onto both her legs and one arm
She was taken from the scene and delivered by helicopter to the roof of Brisbane’s largest trauma center, Princess Alexandra Hospital.
QAS spokesman Stephen Johns later said Ms McKenzie had ‘life-threatening injuries’ and ‘I have never seen or heard of anything like it.
“She suffered significant multiple trauma to her extremities, but was conscious and able to talk to paramedics, who were able to stabilize the lady,” he said.
“It’s just a miracle she had the sense to pick up that phone real quick and get that help. Otherwise it would be an absolute tragedy here today.
A resident of Ballandean said the small community was shocked by news of Ms McKenzie’s injuries.
“She keeps to herself, she’s a very quiet person,” says an 83-year-old neighbor.
‘She was a farmer, she has gardens, she loves nature.
“She had bought a tractor and chipper to try to keep her property fireproof and was just mowing the lawn when it happened.”
Two police officers at the scene where bridal designer Claire McKenzie suffered catastrophic injuries when she fell off her tractor and the slasher ran over her, cutting both her legs and one arm
Claire McKenzie’s horrific injuries were described as a work-related accident, but Ballande’s neighbors said the quiet 61-year-old was merely mowing to reduce the risk of wildfires on her property
Mrs. McKenzie had bought the tractor and forage harvester (above) to clear her 50 acres of undergrowth ahead of bushfire season and three years after flames threatened the small town of Ballandean
The town, which is on the NSW border south of Stanthorpe, was evacuated in 2019 when bushfires threatened to engulf the small community after destroying about 2,000 acres of surrounding land.
With a population of less than 200, Ballandean is the site of several vineyards in the Southern Downs region, including Ballandean Estate Wines – the state’s oldest family winery, founded by Angelo Puglisi, who is considered the ‘father of the Queensland wine industry’.
The quiet fashion enthusiast had moved to the small town 150 miles southwest of Brisbane in 2016 after spending three decades crafting couture and bridal outfits and launched her Wedding Desire business through online handmade and artisan site Etsy.
According to her Etsy and Linkedin profiles, Ms. McKenzie makes wedding dresses, bridal jewellery, candles and other items, loves vintage style and sells “to all parts of Australia, Spain, the US and the UK.”
Claire McKenzie operated fashion and couture businesses in Victoria and Brisbane before buying her home (above) on a 50 acre estate in historic Ballandean, home of Queensland’s founding wine industry
Fashion designer Claire McKenzie was taken from the scene and delivered by helicopter to the roof of Brisbane’s largest trauma center, Princess Alexandra Hospital
In her online business websites, Ms. McKenzie is described as ‘a coffee lover and fashion enthusiast…a lover of style, creativity and vintage – with over 30 years of experience in the bridal industry’.
In a 2013 interview with Polkadotwedding.com, Ms. McKenzie said she found inspiration by “searching the world for ideas.”
“There is an endless stream of ideas available online, and combining this with my passion for rustic/vintage weddings, there is no end in sight right now.”
She said her online craft making and selling business was “inspired by my son’s wedding in the countryside, scheduled for 2014.”
“(I) decided to open my Etsy shop with just a few items…then it just grew, lots of ideas popped into my head, and in my spare time I would make them.”
While Ms. McKenzie recovers in Princess Alexandra’s Intensive Care Unit, health and safety officials at work investigate the incident.