A 26-year-old man from Thora is facing a murder charge after a fellow camper was allegedly struck with an axe at a remote campground near Ebor in northern NSW, leaving a 33-year-old dead and a second person injured.
NSW Police confirm that emergency services were called to Thora, around 25 kilometres northwest of Bellingen, shortly after midnight on Monday 2 March 2026. Paramedics found the 33-year-old man had already died from critical head injuries.
Officers attached to the New England Police District were told the alleged attack took place about 10:30pm on Sunday 1 March, at a campground off Point Lookout Road, Ebor, roughly 80 kilometres east of Armidale. The victim had been camping with two friends in the rural area.
With no hospital nearby, a 25-year-old woman who was also at the campsite drove the injured man approximately an hour from Ebor to Thora in a bid to get him medical help. The man was pronounced dead on arrival. The woman also told police she had been assaulted during the incident and was treated for bruising to her neck.
Detectives arrested the accused man on Monday, approximately 15 minutes' drive from the campground. According to NSW Police, the man from Thora was subsequently charged with murder, intentionally choking a person with recklessness, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
A crime scene was established at the campground, and the investigation is now being conducted under Strike Force Ullmark, with New England detectives receiving assistance from the State Crime Command's Homicide Squad. The accused is due to face court in connection with the charges.
The case highlights the acute challenges of delivering emergency medical care in remote parts of regional NSW, where vast distances between communities can prove critical in life-threatening situations. The alleged victim's companion drove for close to an hour before reaching help, a grim illustration of the pressures faced by residents in areas with limited health infrastructure.
All charges are allegations at this stage. The accused has not yet entered a plea, and the presumption of innocence applies. The matter is expected to proceed through the NSW court system in the coming weeks.