The Emmaville man died when his truck collided head-on with a cattle truck on a narrow stretch of the the Gwydir Highway west of Grafton.

The driver of the other truck also died in the crash.

Since then, tributes have been pouring in from friends.

Sue Waters of the Carelles store in Grey Street knew him and said: “He was one of the nicest men you could meet. He was considerate and kind. He always had a smile”.

Andrew worked on her parent’s property when he left school. 

“He was the best young fellow who ever worked for us,” she said.

Another friend said:  “He was the nicest bloke.”

Another that he was “a great bloke” and a third that he was a “genuine, smiling, lovely gentlemen” who “always stopped for a chat”.

He worked at the Services Club for a time and a former colleague said “you would not get a better work mate”.

Andrew lived in Emmaville with his partner.

The crash happened early on Monday afternoon on the Gwydir Highway, Jackadgery, 40 kilometres west of Grafton. 

There was a passenger in one of the trucks who managed to free himself, and was taken to hospital. The accident closed the highway for more than 12 hours.

Police and emergency workers were faced with a chaotic and traumatic scene.

Police said: “One of the trucks was rolled onto its side, completely blocking the road, and the area was strewn with a number of dead cattle and debris from the collision itself."

Officers from Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command attended and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Local lands service personnel and a local vet attended to euthanise injured cattle.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.