Inquest hears of Hannah Clarke's bravery as she tried to save her children

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An inquest into the horrific murders of Queensland mother Hannah Clarke and her three children has heard of her bravery in their final moments.

It's been just over two years since the Brisbane mother, 31, and her three children, Aaliyah, six, and Laianah, four, and her son, three-year-old Trey, were killed in the most horrendous of circumstances. 

Ms Clarke was getting them ready to go on the school run when they were ambushed by her estranged husband, the children's father Rowan Baxter. 

READ MORE: Hannah Clarke's family detail her heroic last act

Hannah Clarke with her three children Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey.

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He doused them in petrol, set them alight, and they passed away that day. The 42-year-old then died by suicide.

Today, on the first day of the inquest, a neighbour of Ms Clarke described her as "amazingly strong", as she tried to stop her estranged husband attacking.

"Call the police, he's trying to kill me, he's put petrol on me," the neighbours who heard the tragedy said they heard Ms Clarke yelling, on day one of evidence.

Other witnesses will include counsellors and police, who helped Hannah during the breakdown of her marriage, and a support worker who took a call from Baxter just 16 hours before he did the unthinkable.

Hannah Clarke with her two daughters Laianah and Aaliyah.

CCTV footage, which shows Baxter at a hardware store buying the jerry can used in the attack, will also be shown at the inquest.

The coroner will be examining whether anything could have been done to address the escalating violence Ms Clarke was experiencing.

Outside, her parents Lloyd and Sue Clarke, who have since dedicated their lives to preventing domestic abuse, described their daughter and her grandchildren.

"They were young, vibrant… beautiful people… she loved her children," the couple said.

Mr and Mrs Clarke have been instrumental in raising awareness about coercive control, which includes behaviour such as emotional, mental and financial abuse, isolation, intimidation, sexual coercion and cyberstalking.

Coercive control is set to become a criminal offence in Queensland within the next 18 months. 

Ms Clarke's parents have previously said Baxter used methods of coercive control on their daughter and they want to make sure that their family tragedy can help other victims.

"I'm nervous about it, but also I want to give Hannah a voice," her mother said.

"We're just hoping that, you know, we can work out where the system let Hannah and the children down… and that they can put new procedures in place and move on, so people won't have to go through this terrible thing," her dad added.

The inquest continues.

Readers seeking support for domestic violence can call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

If you are in immediate danger call Triple Zero (000).

Source: 9News