Lindendale man Peter Johnston dies in car crash near Ballina

A Northern Rivers man has been remembered as a “really genuine bloke” after losing his life in a serious Bruxner Highway crash.

The crash death of a “really down to earth guy” who “always had time for a chat” has left family and friends devastated.

Lindendale man Peter Johnston, 60, died after his Holden Colorado and a van collided on the Bruxner Highway, a short distance west of Ballina, on Saturday afternoon.

The highway was closed for hours after the crash as police investigated the scene.

Neighbour and fellow farmer, Graham Patch, said he would “seriously miss the ideal good neighbour”.

“He was 60 and I’m in my 80s but we had a lot of things in common,” Mr Patch said.

“Farm interests, he was a farmer, I’ve been a farmer most of my life.

“Sometimes I wouldn’t see him for a while then Peter would come by and we’d talk for a good few hours.

“We could just touch on subjects of easy conversation.”

Peter Johnston builds some beehives.

Mr Johnston, who was a licensed builder, has been remembered as a very practical, down-to-earth bloke.

He featured in an online testimonial for Mahindra last year that showed him enjoying his life farming beef and bees on his 30ha family farm.

A Lismore Tractors spokesman, who regularly did business with Mr Johnston, said Peter was one of those old-school helpful people.

“He’s been a great help to us as a business,” the spokesman said.

“He has recommended people and isn’t one of those walk-in walk-out customers … he was always up for a chat.”

Mr Johnston had allowed the team to make the video testimonial of the tractor he had bought.

Peter Johnston showcases his tractor for Lismore Tractors and Machinery.

“He went out of his way to do it, gave his own time to allow us to do that which was great,” the spokesman said.

“He was one of those blokes from what I knew of him, to go out of his way to help people.”

A 27-year-old Ballina man, who was driving the van involved in the crash, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital with serious injuries and placed in an induced coma.

He has since undergone surgery and was listed as being in a stable condition.

His 26-year-old male passenger, also from Ballina, was taken to Lismore Base Hospital with minor injuries and has since been discharged.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.