Four Queensland children - who packed fishing rods and cash into a four-wheel drive in an elaborate plot to run away from home - could have taken turns driving more than a 1000km to NSW.
The children, aged 10 to 14, made it all the way from the central Queensland city of Rockhampton to Grafton in NSW before they were finally found.
It's believed the children could have shared the driving given the extraordinary distance they travelled, Acting Inspector Darren Williams said.
"It is a long way, in excess of 1000 kilometres from Rockhampton down to Grafton so I couldn't imagine one person driving all that way," Acting Insp Williams told reporters in Coffs Harbour on Monday.
Police speculated the runaways were headed for Grafton because the 14-year-old boy was from the area.
It's about 900km from Rockhampton to Grafton. Source: Google Maps
One of the children left a goodbye note for their family before the group set off in a four-wheel drive that belonged to one of their fathers.
It's believed they left Rockhampton late on Saturday night or early on Sunday morning, apparently planning to fill their bellies with fresh fish to conserve their stash of cash.
But they only made it 140km before they realised they needed fuel and allegedly stole a tank of petrol from a service station in the Queensland town of Banana around dawn on Sunday.
The 14-year-old boy, two others aged 13 and a girl, 10 were later spotted just over the border in Glen Innes, and there was a short pursuit with police which was terminated because of the age of the driver and the road conditions.
The group was finally found at Grafton later on Sunday.
Once police found the children, they had to force entry into the car which was locked, Acting Insp Williams said.
"The children were directed to open their doors, they've locked themselves in the car and police have had to use a baton to unlock the vehicle to arrest them," he said.
Charges are expected to be laid once the police have had the chance to interview the children which can't be done until their parents are present.
