Child shot in the face remains critical

A five-year-old boy who was shot by another child in rural Queensland remains fighting for his life in hospital.

A five-year-old boy remains in a critical condition after being shot in the face by another boy on a rural property near the Queensland-NSW border.

It's believed the boy was shot with a rifle by the other child, reportedly his older cousin, at a Cottonvale property near Stanthorpe after 4pm on Tuesday.

Police described the incident as a "tragic accident", though investigations are continuing.

The boy was taken to Stanthorpe Hospital with a facial wound before being airlifted to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in Brisbane where he remains in a critical but stable condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.