Cattle musterer killed in Vic quad bike crash

A 72-year-old cattle musterer has died after his quad rolled on a grazing property at Kergunyah in north-east Victoria. The fatality is the state's 14th verified work-related death for 2026 and the fifth within agriculture, according to WorkSafe data.

What early news reports tell us

• Who: A farmer aged 72, named in news coverage as William "Ross" Ray.
• When: Last Thursday, while mustering cattle.
• Where: Kergunyah, in Victoria's alpine grazing country.
• What happened: His vehicle rolled and pinned him beneath it.
• Investigation: WorkSafe inspectors attended the scene, and a health and safety inquiry continues.

Why rollovers keep dominating farm safety news

Rollovers remain among the deadliest hazards on rural properties across Australia. Steep slopes, hidden obstacles, rutted tracks, shifting loads and changing ground conditions can tip a machine within seconds, while a pinned rider alone in a paddock rarely reaches help in time.

Mustering compounds that danger. Cattle move unpredictably, so attention drifts from terrain to livestock, and riders frequently traverse side slopes instead of climbing or descending directly. Comparable tragedies have been reported interstate and overseas — see SA man killed in quad bike crash, Quad bike rider killed in SA crash and Rider killed in Taranaki quad bike crash.

Controls that reduce rollover risk during a muster

Producers need not wait for another news bulletin about a farm death before acting. Proven measures include:

• Fit crush protection. An operator protective device can preserve survival space when a machine tips.
• Choose the right vehicle. Side-by-side utility machines, horses or a ute may suit steep muster routes far better.
• Plan each route. Inspect tracks, flag obstacles and avoid traversing slopes wherever feasible.
• Insist on helmets. Head trauma features heavily in rider deaths, including low-speed rollovers.
• Apply firm work rules. No passengers, no untrained operators, no children on adult machines.
• Keep contact. Radios, satellite messengers or scheduled check-ins mean a missing rider gets noticed quickly.
• Document procedures. Our Loading & Unloading Cattle SWMS sets out step-by-step controls for livestock handling tasks.

Work health and safety duties for farm businesses

Farm operators must eliminate or minimise risk so far as reasonably practicable. That duty extends to vehicle selection, maintenance, competency assessment, supervision and emergency response. Guidance from Victoria's regulator and national model material both emphasise rollover protection plus rider training.

Documentation proves diligence. Records of induction, safe work method statements, machinery servicing and toolbox discussions show hazards were assessed before anybody began a task. Vehicle-focused resources such as our OHS Driver's Manual (Vic) help embed consistent work practices for utes, tractors and quads.

Simple farm safety upgrades often cost very little: mark blind crests, restrict paddocks after heavy rain, review near misses openly, and map high-risk work areas before every muster.

Turning news headlines into prevention

Every fatality carried by rural news services represents a preventable loss for a family and their community. Reviewing hazards after each reported incident — rather than filing details away — converts grim statistics into practical change.

Fourteen deaths in one state this year, five of them across agriculture, signal that vehicle risk on properties demands sustained attention. Farmers, contractors and employees alike deserve to finish work safely each day.

Explore our safety documentation library for SWMS, manuals and management systems, then follow incident news and regulator updates on our blog. Contact our safety specialists if you need help reviewing quad procedures or farm work practices.

Read the original article here.