‘Horror period’ on NSW roads after fatal crashes in Byabarra, Forster, Mount Thorley, Berremangra and Kempsey

Two young motorcyclists, a 19 and 21-year-old, are among five dead in less than 12 hours in what ministers Yasmin Catley and Jenny Aitchison have deemed a ‘horror period’ on regional NSW roads.

Volunteer Rescue Association Taree Squad assisted NSW Police and forensics in Coomba on Thursday April 24, 2025.

Two young motorcyclists, a 19 and 21-year-old, are among five dead in less than 12 hours in what ministers Yasmin Catley and Jenny Aitchison deemed a ‘horror period’ on regional NSW roads.

A 19-year-old man and a 21-year-old man died in separate motorcycle crashes, while a 61-year-old man, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 50s also died in separate car crashes.

On the Mid-North Coast, a woman believed to be in her 70s died after the Subaru sedan she was driving crashed into a tree and caught fire.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Comboyne Road, Byabarra about 20km south-west of Wauchope about 2.30pm on Thursday.

Mid-North Coast Police District officers confirmed the woman died at the scene.

Comboyne Road where a woman believed to be in her 70s has died in a single vehicle car crash. Picture: VisitNSW

Also on Thursday, a 21-year-old learner motorcyclist died in Forster after a crash in Coomba Park, about 8km south-west of the coastal town.

Manning/Great Lakes Police District officers arrived about 4.30pm to find the motorcycle and rider had left Coomba Park Road, gone down an embankment and crashed into a tree.

The man died at the scene.

Volunteer Rescue Association Taree were tasked to the crash at Coomba on Thursday April 24, 2025.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old motorcyclist died in a two-vehicle crash in the Hunter region about 6pm.

In a statement, NSW Police said the teenager was turning onto the Golden Highway at Mount Thorley when he collided with an Isuzu D-Max travelling east. He died at the scene.

The 60-year-old male driver of the Isuzu was uninjured but was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Officers from Hunter Valley Police District attended the crash.

Middleton St in Kempsey where a 61-year-old man crashed into a concrete culvert and died. Google maps

Elsewhere, a 61-year-old man died on the Mid North Coast after crashing in Kempsey late Thursday night.

About 11.25pm, police responded to reports of a crash on Middleton Street, South Kempsey, and found a Toyota Prado 4WD had hit a concrete culvert, causing the vehicle to roll and come to rest on its side on the roadway.

Crime scenes have been established at all four locations, and investigations are underway.

On Anzac Day morning, a man in his 50s person, yet to be formally identified, died in a single-vehicle crash on Berremangra Road, Berremangra - near Jugiong – at 7am.

Officers at the scene found a ute had had left the roadway and rolled down an embankment.

The driver, a 51-year-old man, died at the scene.

A crime scene was established, and an investigation commenced into the circumstances of the crash.

Reports are being prepared for the Coroner in respect of the five fatalities.

Authorities have now sparked fresh calls for road users to prioritise safety over the holiday period.

The fatalities bring the total number of lives lost on NSW roads in 2025 to 112 – five more than the same time last year. The spike follows another deadly holiday period, with three lives lost over the Easter long weekend across NSW and ACT.

In a joint statement, Police and Counter-terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley and Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison expressed their condolences to the victims’ families and urged drivers to make safe choices.

“We’ve seen a horror period on the state’s roads with five deaths in less than 12 hours,” the statement read.

“These are five people who are not coming home and five families who are now dealing with terrible grief.

“Our thoughts are with their loved ones and our thoughts are also with the police and other first responders who attended these horrific crashes. It is deeply traumatic to be confronted by such scenes.

“We implore everyone to make safe choices on our roads this Anzac Day long weekend – take your time, stay focused, don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs and don’t drive tired.”

At a press conference on Friday afternoon, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner David Driver urged drivers to exercise caution on the road.

Speaking on the steps of the Sydney Police Centre, Mr Driver said “momentary inattention or blatant disregard for the law” could result in death.

“In the last 24 hours, five people have lost their lives on NSW roads. All of them occurred in regional areas,” he said.

“Please, when you are operating your vehicles or driving your cars, make that the only task that you are doing,” he said.

“You should be driving your cars as if your child is in any vehicle around you, because every vehicle carries someone’s child, no matter how old they are.”

In the last week, NSW Police reported staggering figures, with 200 drink-driving related arrests, 900 positive random drug tests and 160,000 infringement notices being handed out to drivers across the state.

Double demerits remain in effect across the long weekend, with police conducting high-visibility patrols across the state.

Originally published as ‘Horror period’ on NSW roads after fatal crashes in Byabarra, Forster, Mount Thorley, Berremangra and Kempsey