Campers have recalled the horror as a giant sinkhole opened at a Queensland camping spot, swallowing a car, caravan and camper trailer.

Travellers were caught by surprise as the sinkhole began forming late at night at the popular Rainbow Beach campsite near Fraser Island.

Amazingly no one was killed or injured with 140 campers evacuated from the MV Beagle site at Inskip Point.

Campers said there was a loud thunder like noise, then people were struggled to get out of tents and caravans quickly as the site was swallowed up by the ocean.

“Can’t believe we made it out. I thought we were gonners for sure, was truly scary how fast it came into our campsite and swallowed it up,” camper Melanie Wotherspoon said via a Facebook post.

Owners of vehicles caught in the hole were able to retrieve them. Since the incident on September 26, the sinkhole has increased to more than 100m in length.

The site is now closed with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service urging campers to consider six alternative campsites at Inskip instead.

It’s thought the collapse may be linked to a number of recent small earthquakes in the region.