On the night of Sunday, 11 June, a bus full of wedding guests crashed in the Hunter Valley. The unimaginable tragedy left 10 people dead and multiple in hospital with serious injuries.
The 58-year-old bus driver, Brett Button, has been charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, driving in a dangerous manner, and one count of negligent driving, occasioning death.
This is what we know about the tragic accident and its victims.
What happened?
On the night of Sunday 11th June, Button was driving 36 people back from the wedding reception of Mitchell Gaffney and Maddy Edsell, at the Wandin Valley Estate winery in Lovedale.
At around 11.30pm, the bus entered a roundabout to turn onto the Hunter Expressway ramp near Greta. While doing so, the vehicle rolled onto its left side and crashed onto a guard rail.
Nine people died at the crash site and one later in hospital.
How did the crash occur?
At this stage, we don’t know exactly how the crash occurred.
Police have alleged that Button was driving “too quick” as he entered the roundabout, which may have caused him to lose control of the vehicle.
Acting Assistant Commissioner David Waddell told reporters Button was facing a number of “very serious” charges relating to the crash victims.
“He entered that roundabout driving in a manner that was inconsistent with the conditions,” Waddell alleged.
While we know that fog was present in the area, Waddell has not commented on whether visibility was a factor in the accident.
“The whole conditions will be examined as part of the investigation,” Waddell explained. “So, it will be about how the driver drove in relation to the conditions.”
What do we know about the victims?
Police are currently working to identify the ten people who lost their lives in the bus crash. While families have been notified by the NSW Police, the formal identification process could possibly take weeks.
Nadene and Kyah McBride
The Singleton mum and daughter are among the accident’s ten victims. They were both part of the Singleton Roosters football club, where Nadene coached the Roosterettes (the club’s women’s squad.)
The Sydney Women’s AFL Masters Facebook page posted a tribute to the mother and daughter, which read:
“Our women’s masters football community is shocked and saddened by the tragic news that Nadene (Nads) McBride and her daughter Kyah have now been named as having passed away in the Singleton wedding bus crash.
“Our thoughts and sympathy extend to all the friends, families and teammates of Nads and Kyah and the Singleton football community.
“Please reach out to each other for support.”
Andrew and Lynan Scott
Married Singleton couple Andrew and Lynan Scott have also been identified as victims of the crash.
The couple also played for the Singleton Roosters, with Andrew reaching the 100-game milestone last year.
Kane Symons
Kane Symons was a Carlton Park Surf Life Saving Club member. The club’s president, Christine Gaby, paid tribute to Kane on Facebook.
“Kane, otherwise known as ‘Superman’ was an amazing athlete who competed at the highest level,” the tribute read.
“But more than that he was a leader, a great bloke and a mate to many. We adored him and he will be truly missed.”
Zachary Bray
Byron Bay man Zachary Bray was a bowel cancer survivor and an ambassador with The Gut Foundation, according to his Facebook page.
Rebecca Mullen
Rebecca Mullen was “a wonderfully talented sportswoman” and a “friend to all who knew her”, according to her former Australian Rules Football club, the New England Nomads.
“Bec was an extremely active member of the club, a wonderfully talented sportswoman and a friend to all who knew her,” a tribute on the club’s Facebook page read. “We offer our sincere condolences to her friends and family.”
Darcy Bulman
Darcy Bulman was a former La Trobe student, who attended the wedding celebration with her partner Nick Dinakis. Her friend Justin Mack told the Herald Sun she was “radiant, always glowing brightly, very genuine and always there for anybody in need”.
There are additional people who remain “unaccounted for” after the bus crash. Marie Claire Australia has chosen not to publish their names at this time.
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