For the people of Bowen in north Queensland, seeing turtles is not out of the ordinary, but having them arrive on their front doorstep, trying to get into their garage, is something a bit different.

That was exactly what happened on Wednesday to Anne Smith of Brisk Bay, as she discovered a flatback turtle at her home — more than 500 metres from the beach.

Turtles in nesting season: Do not disturb turtles while they are making their way up the beach to nest

Do not disturb turtles while they are making their way up the beach to nest Keep dogs away from nests

Keep dogs away from nests Do not light fires nearby

Do not light fires nearby Turtles will emerge from the nest in 55–60 days

Turtles will emerge from the nest in 55–60 days Report any nesting or hatchling activity with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service on 13 74 68

She called her friend Tracy Bazzo to help with her four-flippered visitor, as she was a member of the Bowen Sea Turtle Assessment and Rehabilitation centre.

"I thought it was ridiculous to get this phone call like, 'Umm Tracey, I have a flatback [turtle] knocking at my garage door'," Ms Bazzo said.

"It was a little bit random, but it does happen from time to time — they get disorientated."

Ms Bazzo believed the female turtle was about 90 years old, weighed between 110–120 kilograms, and had come onto land to lay eggs.

"Because it is laying season … she had obviously come up to lay and didn't like the spot and went to look somewhere else and took herself on the wrong path," she said.

"Jackie" the flatback turtle wandered half a kilometre to Ms Smith's front door. ( Supplied: Tracey Bazzo )

Ms Bazzo said she put up a sign at her business saying, "Gone to a turtle rescue", and organised some volunteers to help.

"We were very lucky Anne is the chairperson for the Local Marine Advisory Committee in this area," Ms Bazzo said.

"She knew to get water onto [the turtle], and a towel, while I was rallying the troops."

'Jackie the flattie'

Once Ms Bazzo arrived to help return the turtle to the ocean, she realised the turtle was overheated from the 31-degree-Celsius heat, and needed to be moved quickly.

"It was quite daunting because she was cooking from the outside in," she said.

"But we were very careful of how we controlled the situation with total quiet and said, 'Let's calm her down first', then made an attempt to move her."

During the rescue, the group of volunteers were thinking what to name the turtle and Ms Bazzo came up with Jackie.

The flatback turtle was likely to be about 90 years old. ( Supplied: Tracey Bazzo )

"Everyone was saying, 'Dora the Explorer', and I said, 'No, Jackie the flattie!" she said.

Out of the ordinary

Ian Bell from the Aquatic Species Program with the Queensland Department of Environment and Science said the turtle's behaviour was out of the ordinary.

"It's very unusual for a flatback, or any turtle in fact, to walk that far," Dr Bell said.

"Most only go to the top of the sand dune or up above the high tide line [to nest]."

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Dr Bell said it was the midst of turtle nesting season.

"The peak of the nesting season is the last week of November to the first week of December," he said.

The journey home

Ms Bazzo said the group of volunteers knew they needed to get the flatback turtle back into the ocean as soon as possible.

"We definitely had an emergency here," she said.

"Her eyes were starting to dull on me, but she still had enough get-up-and-go so I thought, 'We can do this'."

Ms Bazzo said as soon as the turtle smelt the seawater she knew she was nearly home.