Nannup’s kangaroo crash maroons 2 Parisian backpackers, Melina Gitton and Florian Crepinior, just 4 hours into their West Australian road trip. Rescued by Kate and Craig Jenkins, the pair spent 23 days among 1,500 locals, celebrating Easter and becoming “the Frenchies” of town. “We got a lot of love messages,” said Melina, as the community fixed their wrecked, underinsured car and turned disaster into an unforgettable holiday.

After a roo totaled their car and stranded them in Nannup, the French duo relied on strangers for shelter, sport, and Easter feasting. Local mechanics and donations revived their vehicle, while the Jenkins family gained honorary “French crash survivors.” Now, Nannup could use a sign: All stranded travelers welcome to crash here.

The backpackers’ 1-night stop became a 23-day stay—locals even suggested a ‘refuge for stranded travelers’ sign on their road.