13 Injured in Walcha Demolition Derby Crash

At least 13 people were injured, two of them critically, when a car competing in a demolition derby crashed through a fence and struck spectators at the Walcha showground in northern New South Wales on Saturday night.

The incident occurred around 6:15 p.m. during the annual Walcha Motorcycle Rally, an event held over two days that features motorcycle competitions, dirt bike races, and motorsport contests including the demolition derby, where drivers intentionally collide vehicles. According to New South Wales police, the 27-year-old driver had just been involved in an on-track collision when his speedway car veered off course, sped across a grass area, and broke through a barrier into a mobile grandstand where crowds were gathered. Witnesses reported the vehicle plowing directly into the audience, prompting immediate chaos.

Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene, about 90 kilometers east of Tamworth. Bystanders provided first aid to the injured before paramedics arrived. A New South Wales Ambulance spokesperson confirmed that 13 people, ranging in age from 20 to 75, were hurt in the crash. The two most severely injured—a 54-year-old man with spinal and hip injuries,...