Police said an EPIRB emergency distress beacon was activated at 3.55pm last Wednesday after a collision involving a 4WD pulling a caravan and a road train carrying three trailers of cattle along the Savannah Way, about 40 kilometres west of Normanton at the Flinders River Crossing.

Normanton Police, paramedics and the rural fire brigade rushed to the scene to find the trailer had overturned and the 4WD had driven off the causeway into the riverbed.

Police said an initial assessment of the crash scene suggested the vehicles collided when the 4WD was attempting to pull back onto the highway; however, investigations were continuing.

The two tourists from Victoria and the truck driver all received minor injuries in the accident.

They were transported to Normanton Hospital for observation but were released later that night.

The road was closed while the clean-up began.

Police said the truck was carrying about 200 head of cattle, half of which were either killed instantly or had to be destroyed due to injuries sustained in the crash.

Representatives from the Department of Primary Industries and the State Emergency Services oversaw the culling.

Fire billowed from the truck at one point during the clean-up; however, it was quickly extinguished.

The road was eventually reopened just after 7.30pm on Wednesday.

Mount Isa Police Inspector Trevor Kidd said the incident was a timely reminder for motorists to carry an EPIRD emergency distress beacon in their vehicle.

"People need to be aware that there are a lot of road trains travelling on remote highways in the region," he said.

"It was very fortunate no-one was seriously injured in this incident."