9news image of Childers murder crime scene.© Nine News

An elderly man has allegedly been murdered in one of a string of violent unprovoked attacks in a regional town north of Brisbane.

A 36-year-old man is accused of deliberately reversing his vehicle into another car on the main street of Childers, a rural town near Bundaberg, about 2.30pm on Wednesday.

When a 65-year-old man emerged from the second vehicle to check for damage, the younger man allegedly reversed his car into him, then exited his car and assaulted the man before driving away.

Minutes later, the man pulled his car over and launched a second unprovoked attack on an elderly pedestrian, punching the 78-year-old man in the head before hitting him with a metal pole.

The pedestrian, from North Isis, sustained critical injuries and died at the scene.

The 36-year-old man then allegedly drove to another location and assaulted a third man, aged 66, before being restrained by members of the public, and arrested by police a short time later.

Police do not believe any of the victims were known to the man.

The 36-year-old has been charged with one count of murder, attempted murder, acts intended to maim/disfigure/disable, the dangerous operation of a vehicle and evasion.

He is scheduled to appear at the Gladstone Magistrates Court via video link on Thursday.

Chief Inspector for the Bundaberg Patrol Group Grant Marcus described the situation as horrendous and said support would be provided to the community.

“Childers, as we know, has gone through some adversity in the past, there’s no doubt about that, and this is another one that the community is going to have to face as they deal with this situation,” Marcus said.

“What I say to the community first of all, is that there’s no further threat to the community as a result of what’s happened.

“The second thing is that we will be going out and we’ll be engaging with another organisation to provide support to the community … [and] talk to those involved, talk to neighbours and witnesses and other family members, and offer opportunities for support and to make sure that they’re feeling OK.”

Detective Acting Inspector Anthony Green appealed to anyone travelling between the Sunshine Coast and Childers on Wednesday afternoon between 11am and 2.50pm, who may have seen a grey-silver Subaru driving erratically, to contact police.

“It’s early in the investigation and detectives are working tirelessly to gather evidence to establish a critical timeline in relation to the events that unfolded at Childers yesterday,” Green said.