PARENTS and staff at a hinterland child care centre were in shock yesterday after the death of a popular staff member in a freak bus accident.

Police confirmed the Beerwah woman killed in the accident near her home late on Saturday night was 45-year-old Jennifer Ann Boon.

The mother of two was a child care worker at ABC Learning Centre at Glasshouse, where her family lived for several years before moving to the Peachester Road home where the accident happened.

"The staff up there are devastated," one woman, with a child at the facility, said.

"They just can't believe it."

Mrs Boon was run over by a bus that had dropped her off on an access road near her home after a private birthday party at Glasshouse Mountains Sports Club.

While police are still investigating the tragedy, they believe she walked behind the bus as it did a reverse u-turn on the unlit road.

The bus was carrying a number of passengers who have told police they felt a bump as the vehicle reversed but thought its wheels had run over a gutter.

Mrs Boon reportedly received fatal head injuries and her body lay undiscovered for some time before being found by her husband.

He was reportedly taken to hospital to be treated for shock but was home on Sunday as a stream of well wishers arrived.

Shocked neighbours described Mrs Boon as caring and friendly.

"She was absolutely beautiful," one said.

An acquaintance of the family yesterday said Mrs Boon had been a tireless community worker when she lived in Glasshouse.

"Her children attended the local school and she did a lot for the P&C there," he said.

"She was someone who gave and gave and gave, a big part of the community.

"She was always there to help people, big time.

"While she hadn't been in the Beerwah community long, she made a lot of friends because she really put herself out there."

Police said there was no evidence of negligence on the part of the bus driver.