Three-year-old critical after being hit by ute in Geraldton

A three-year-old boy is in a critical condition after being hit by a ute in the West Australian city of Geraldton.

9NEWS understands the boy wandered away from the people he was with and onto the road in Wonthella.

Bystanders attempted to treat the boy with a first aid kit from a nearby IGA supermarket until paramedics arrived.

The boy was initially transported to Jandakot Airport by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and then by road ambulance to Princess Margaret Hospital.