On 20 October 1989, an early morning collision occurred between a semi-trailer and a coach near Cowper on the Pacific Highway.

The semi-trailer veered onto the wrong side of the highway and the coach driver unsuccessfully tried to swerve to avoid a collision. The collision tore off the driver's side of the bus, which threw passengers across the highway. The semi-trailer careered on after the collision and jack-knifed into a ditch. The driver of the semi-trailer was found to be under the influence of amphetamines. The coach ran into a roadside ditch, which halted only metres from a river. 21 people died and 22 others were injured.