The wallaby was hit by a car near Laura, three-and-a half hours north-west of Cairns, late Thursday afternoon.

Laura is in Quinkan country on the Cape York Developmental Road west of Cooktown.

RSPCA spokesman Michael Beatty, who released the photos, said a family was driving from Bamaga to Cairns when their car hit the wallaby.

"They stopped the car to look for it but presumed it had hopped into the bush when they couldn't find it," he said.

"When they arrived in Cairns they went to sleep and woke up in the morning to inspect the car.

"It was then that they heard a noise and discovered the wallaby was alive and trapped behind the grill of the car."

Cairns RSPCA inspector Ben Newman said he was able to free the wallaby.

"I couldn't believe it," he said. "This would have to be one of the greatest animal survival stories of all time.

"Incredibly he only had a few scratches and after a visit to the vet was deemed fit to be returned to the wild."

Inspector Newman released one very, very lucky wallaby on Friday afternoon.

Remarkably this type of wildlife accident has happened before.

In 2011, a kookaburra was hit by a car at Scone, NSW.

Unaware of the bird being lodged in the vehicle, the driver continued 480km to Stanthorpe in Queensland and it was not until the next day, that the bird was found.

It was rehabilitated and released back at Scone.