Man dead, two women injured after car crashes into tree near Cessnock

A man died and two women were injured when a car crashed into a tree in the Hunter region in the early hours of Wednesday.

Police were called to Congewai Road in Congewai, about 20 kilometres south of Cessnock, shortly after 1am.

A male passenger, believed to have been aged in his 20s, died at the scene. He has not been formally identified.

The female driver, 28, and a female passenger, 25, were taken to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.

Hunter Valley police and officers from the crash investigation unit set up a crime scene.

Police urged anyone with information to come forward.