Inside Daylesford, the sleepy town rocked by tragic crash

Shattered locals have gathered to pay their respects after five lives were lost in a horrifying crash in a “tight-knit” Australian community.

Tragedy has rocked a small Victorian community after two families were mowed down by a vehicle that ploughed through a beer garden, killing five.

The incident occurred just after 6pm on Sunday in the regional town of Daylesford when a white BMW X5 mounted the kerb on the busy juncture of Albert St and drove through the outdoor seating area of the Royal Hotel.

Two families were struck by the vehicle, driven by a 66-year-old Mt Macedon man.

Locals have flocked to the crash site to offer flowers and their condolences Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brendan Beckett

Many were tearful as they came to pay their respects. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brendan Beckett

A six-year-old boy, two men in their 30s and a woman in her 40s died at the scene, while a teenage girl died later in hospital.

The sleepy town of Daylesford, located 110km northeast of Melbourne, has a population of about 3000 people and is known as one of the most popular tourism regions in Victoria.

Nestled in the foothills of the state’s Great Dividing Range, the region is known for its picturesque scenery and natural mineral springs.

Located on the main street in the heart of Daylesford, the popular Royal Hotel had been particularly busy on Sunday evening, given the warm spring weather and it being the Melbourne Cup weekend.

Tyre marks and shrapnel, appearing to have come from the vehicle, were still visible in the outdoor dining area on Monday morning.

Forensic teams worked until about 12.30pm to clear the site of the incident.

Locals flocked to the scene throughout the day to lay floral tributes to the five patrons who were killed and the other five who were injured.

Many community members were visibly distressed as they walked by the scene, while several shaken business owners closed their doors in a show of support to the neighbouring hotel.

Jenna Acquarola and James Deriu were among those who attended the scene to lay flowers on Monday morning.

The impact of the crash almost tore the bumper bar off the white BMW. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Josie Hayden

Police comb the area as they begin to piece together how the crash took place. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Josie Hayden

“Just knowing that that happened … it‘s so sad for Daylesford,” Ms Acquarola told reporters at the scene.

“We were here five minutes after it … and we saw it and it was just horrible.”

Ms Acquarola said those who witnessed the incident were quick to offer any assistance to the injured, though the scene was incredibly confronting.

“It was a beautiful night, it was warm, the sun was going down,” she said of the busy area.

“And it was instantly just destroyed.”

Mr Deriu said bystanders who were first on the scene as they rushed to assist the wounded were visibly “traumatised”.

“They were beside themselves,” he said.

Bystanders told the media that they saw bodies on the pavement in the aftermath of the incident.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton described the area around the tragedy as the “worst and most confronting” scene many emergency services personnel had ever seen.

Forensic officers spent the morning inspecting the scene. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brandan Beckett

They were left to do their work as residents gathered near the crash site. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brendan Beckett

Word of the incident quickly swirled around the “tight-knit” community, with multiple business owners predicting what was later confirmed by police, that none of the victims were from the area.

Mr Patton told the media on Monday that the victims were among two separate groups of patrons.

“(There were) two different family groups that were known to each other who were significantly involved and impacted by this,” he said.

It’s believed the families travelled to the popular tourist destination together.

The 66-year-old driver was taken into police custody on Sunday and received treatment for shock and minor wounds.

He was breath-tested at the scene and was found to have no alcohol in his system.

“I will say the driver is not a person who‘s known to us through national security interests, he is not a person who has prior convictions other than some traffic offending as in speeding tickets,” Mr Patton said.

Police are yet to determine whether speed was a factor in the crash.

Sunday’s tragedy comes just three weeks after the death of a local man rocked the small town.

On October 17, the man, who lived in the area, is believed to have attempted to rob a muffin cafe just 100m from the site of Sunday‘s crash.

He suffered serious injuries and is believed to have died on the side of Bridport St where his body was later discovered by an early morning walker.

Originally published as Inside Daylesford, the sleepy town rocked by tragic crash