Kelly Hamilton had seen the movie, but never, ever thought she'd experience a scene from 'Wolf Creek' in real life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"I actually thought we were all going to die," she says, the memory of fear so strong her voice shakes over the phone.
"You see it on the movies, but when you are in it, you feel like you can't get out of it."
The 20-minute drive felt like a lifetime.
But it didn't happen in the middle of Australian no man's land.
Nor is it the only reported case that night.
It happened on the Oxley Highway between Gunnedah and Tamworth, just after midnight on Saturday morning.
Driving home with her daughter, grand-daughter and son-in-law, the family was confronted with an aggressive, erratic and terrifying vehicle with a masked-group inside.
"They were behind us and I could see them, but didn't think anything of it because, well, you just don't," she said.
"They came up right behind me and put their high beams on. I slowed down hoping to get them to back off."
What followed is the stuff of nightmares.
"They overtook me, started swerving, slowing down, being dickheads," she continued.
"That's when they come to a complete stop - didn't warn me.
"I stopped, one and a half car spaces back, slamming on my brakes, and all of a sudden four doors open.
"I had my eyes locked on the driver's door, and when they got closer, wearing all black with black and white bandannas - I screamed out 'we're going to f#@*ing die'.
She remembers hearing her son-in-law screaming at them to lock the doors, lock the doors, then "drive, drive, drive!"
"They jumped in and were sitting on my tail again ... we were on the phone screaming at 000 to get help.
"That's when they got right beside me and turned their lights off, trying to knock me off the road."
All alone
Reaching Somerton, Ms Hamilton wished for nothing more than to stop and get help, for someone to rescue her from the scariest night of her life.
But nothing was open, so the terrorised family kept on driving. Not long after passing the deserted shops, the car disappeared from the rear vision mirror.
Finally reaching their home in Tamworth, they were greeted by police waiting to give them their assistance.
But shockingly, this wasn't just a one-off incident.
More reports
After taking to social media in an attempt to make the story go viral, Ms Hamilton has had almost 10 people message her directly, saying they'd had similar experiences on our roads.
One lady she's been in correspondence with says she was terrorised in the same way on the very same night.
Gunnedah detectives are currently on the hunt for those who stalked Mrs Hamilton for the 20km ride from hell.
Officers based in Walgett are also hunting down those responsible for the other reported incident occurring near Burren Junction on the same night.
Oxley Detective Acting Inspector Jason Darcy earlier this week said while they have had two official reports recently, anyone who has had anything similar happen needs to report it to police.
"Report it, make a record, and we will investigate matters and cross reference with similar incidents as they occur in that area."
READ ALSO:
"It's early stages at this time, and we are following up all inquiries at this moment," he assured.
You can help
Anyone with dashcam footage of the Oxley Highway from Saturday morning between 12am and 1.30am has been asked to come forward and assist with their inquiries.
CCTV footage they've recovered is already being extensively reviewed.
But Ms Hamilton wants everyone to be on guard and remain vigilant on our roads.
"I've come forward because it could happen to another family," she says.
"Another family could be killed. I just couldn't live with it - it keeps me up at night."
Changed forever
Ms Hamilton says the panic, the terror of trying to save her family's life will haunt her every day - to the point where she is considering handing in her driver's licence for good.
"It was like a ghost car. They'll cause the accident, what are they going to do if they cause an accident? Kidnap the kids? You don't know what they want.
"[There is] so much pressure on the driver to keep the family safe.
"I am so grateful we did make it out."