Despite a lineup of cars building behind Mrs Furey, her husband Philip insisted they turn their car around and investigate.

It turned out to be a small turtle, later named Toby, who was in a critical condition with his shell almost split in half.

The animal-loving couple put their journey from Sydney to Pambula on hold, whisking Toby to a nearby vet for a temporary shell fix and an antibiotic shot, before taking him with them to their holiday spot.

Mr and Mrs Furey then handed their new reptilian friend to Sydney-based wildlife rescue organisation Wires, who nursed him back to full health.

Desperate to return Toby to his native habitat in Cooma, a requirement under national parks and wildlife law, Wires CEO Leanne Taylor contacted Regional Express Airlines (Rex) for help.

The airline jumped at the opportunity and flew the eastern long neck turtle home free of charge

Mrs Taylor said Mr and Mrs Furey had likely saved Toby’s life.

“If they didn’t do what they did, another car would’ve hit him,” she said

“If a turtle’s shell can’t be repaired, it’ll often need to be euthanised.”

“It can be a major source of bacteria and pain.

“In this case the damage was quite bad, but it was repairable.”

Mrs Furey said it was sad to see Toby go.

Not long after seeing him cartwheeling across the road outside Cooma, the animal lover formed quite an emotional attachment to her newest mate, once he finally came out of his shell.

“At first he would pull his head back in and wait for you to leave,” she said.

“But after a while he’d be clambering to get out of his cage, you could hand feed him and he wasn’t shy any more.

“He had a real personality by the end.

“If you looked away for five seconds he would be climbing rocks or sneaking through crevices. 

“Although he was trying to escape all the time by that stage.”