One of the men was thrown from the tray of the ute onto Noosa Parade, at Noosa Heads, in the crash, which happened about 4.45am. All three were taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a serious condition.

Police were unable to provide details of their injuries.

Their 18-year-old friend, who was behind the wheel, allegedly fled the scene but later returned and has been charged with a range of offences including mid-range drink driving, driving with a passenger in part of a vehicle not designed for carriage and driving without P plates fitted, police said.

He’s due to front Noosa Magistrates Court on March 27.

The Noosa crash was one of several crashes over a 20-hour period, including one in far north Queensland where two people died at the scene.

A 37-year-old woman and a man, 36, died after the car they were in rolled on a remote road about 20km south of Mappon about 9.15am.

In Brisbane’s north a taxi driver suffered serious head injuries after smashing into a tow truck in the early hours of Saturday.

The 56-year-old had to be cut from the wreckage of his vehicle after the crash on Anzac Avenue at Kippa Ring about 3.30am.

On Friday, a man in his 30s died after the ute he was driving crashed and rolled at Bollon, west of St George in the state’s south, at around 3.30pm.