10am: Motorists wanting to use the Settlement Point or Hibbard ferries to cross the Hastings River at Port Macquarie face significant delays following a double fatality on the Pacific Highway at Kundabung.
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Port Macquarie-Hastings Council is urging motorists to avoid using the ferries unless absolutely necessary until later today. It’s expected to be several hours until the accident north of Port Macquarie is cleared.
Council’s Group Manager Transport and Stormwater Network, Duncan Clarke, said the two ferries were operating at maximum capacity and would continue to do so throughout the day.
Mr Clarke has also warned of significant traffic build-up on Hastings River Drive (particularly around the Hastings River Drive/Boundary Street intersection) and Maria River Road (linking Crescent Head and Port Macquarie along the coast). He has urged to motorists to avoid both areas unless absolutely necessary.
9.25am: Police have confirmed a mother and her 12-year-old daughter have been killed in Friday's fatal crash on the Pacific Highway at Kundabung.
The woman's husband and daughter, also in the car, were injured along with the driver of a northbound truck. he has been flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital with critical injuries.
None of the people involved in the horror crash were locals, police said.
State Emergency Service crews from Kempsey and Port Macquarie were called to the scene, 25km south of Kempsey, about 5.30am on a single lane stretch of the Pacific Highway.
Police and emergency services remain at the scene
It is expected one lane of the highway will be opened about 9.45am. Traffic is backed up about 5km both ways.
Meanwhile traffic queues on alternative routes into Port Macquarie are lengthy. There is a 500m queue on Port Macquarie's Settlement Point ferry and motorists have been in line for more than 90 minutes.
8.30am: Westpac Rescue Helicopter spokesman said the truck driver, believed to be in his 40s, was taken from Port Macquarie to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition. He reportedly has multiple injuries.
7.25am: The Pacific Highway is closed in both directions in Kundabung due to a fatal accident near the top of the range after an accident in which two people have died.
A NSW Police spokeswoman said it was feared there could be third casualty. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
A helicopter was attempting to land on the highway just after 6am to treat other people who had been injured in the crash.
Light vehicles are advised to use the Oxley Highway, New England Highway and Waterfall Way for travel between Port Macquarie and Raleigh.
Heavy vehicles are advised to use the New England Highway and Gwydir Highway (via Glen Innes) for travel between the Hunter Region and Grafton.
Emergency services and traffic crews are on site.
Due to the serious nature of the incident the highway is likely to be closed for some time.
For the latest traffic information, visit www.livetraffic.com or call 132 701.
At least two people have died in a crash between a car and a truck on the Pacific Highway near Kempsey, police say.
The crash occurred at Kundabung, about 15 kilometres south of Kempsey, at 5.15am.
The highway has been closed in both directions at the accident scene while police and emergency service workers attend the scene.
The Transport Management Centre said the highway was expected to be closed for some time "due to the serious nature of the incident".
