Motorcycle rider dies after crash on Eungella Dam Road

A motorcycle rider has been killed after crashing on a road before plunging about 10 metres into dense scrubland, making for a difficult recovery for emergency workers. PICTURES

Emergency crews were called to a fatal crash on Eungella Dam Rd in the Pioneer Valley on March 1, 2024. Picture: Zoe Devenport

A Eungella man has been killed following a crash in the Pioneer Valley in early this morning, in the district’s latest road tragedy.

Mackay police said the 61 year old was found dead on a steep embankment on Eungella Dam Road.

Sergeant James Brunton the man had been travelling south and left the road at an undetermined spot, falling about 10 metres in “dense” scrubland within Eungella National Park.

“(It was) a difficult recovery with the motorcycle, it is on a 10 metre drop off on the side of the road,” Sgt Brunton said, adding the Mackay Whitsunday District Forensic Crash Unit was investigating the cause of the single motorcycle crash.

Emergency crews were called to a fatal crash on Eungella Dam Rd in the Pioneer Valley on March 1, 2024. Picture: Zoe Devenport

Eungella Dam Road was reduced to a single lane and briefly closed as emergency services worked to recover the body and motorcycle.

Emergency crews were notified at 6.57am of the crash with multiple police, fire and paramedic units called to the scene.

Emergency crews were called to a fatal crash on Eungella Dam Rd in the Pioneer Valley on March 1, 2024. Picture: Zoe Devenport

Crews were only able to retrieve the man’s body about 11am.

“The road that traverses through Eungella National Park and out to Eungella Dam is very windy, it has a lot of tight bends,” Sgt Brunton said

“So we ask that motorists drive to the conditions (and) pay attention.”

Sergeant James Brunton at the scene of a fatal crash in the Pioneer Valley. Picture: Zoe Devenport

This is the third fatal crash on Mackay region roads in 2024 and comes days after a 69-year-old man was critically injured in a serious crash at Glenella.

The driver was flown to Townsville hospital after the two-car crash on the Bruce Highway at the Glendaragh Rd intersection on February 26.

A white Izuzu truck carrying a load of construction material had been heading south on the highway when it is alleged a Ford Falcon ute driven by the 69 year old crashed into the left side.

As a result the highway was closed in both directions for several hours.