On 25 January 1885, seven people were killed and more than 20 injured when the Melbourne to Sydney overnight express train derailed.

Over 25cm of rain had fallen in south-west New South Wales and washed away the culvert and railway track over Salt Clay Creek. When the track inspector realised the collapse of the track had occurred, attempts were made to contact the express train through Bethungra Station, however communication lines were down.

Due to the speed the train was going the locomotive almost made it across the gap. It crashed into the opposite bank of the creek. The carriages behind jack-knifed while the passengers were asleep. Help was raised from Cootamundra with a doctor and a chemist quickly arriving at the scene. Injured passengers were later transported to Goulburn Hospital when Cootamundra could no longer cope.

The Railways Department was criticised in a later enquiry for building such a small culvert, insufficient to carry the volumes of water that occurred in the flash flood.