A crash that killed 10 wedding guests and injured 25 others near Greta on Sunday night has shattered the Singleton community.
The group was on its way home from the wedding of Singleton couple Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell at Wandin Valley Estate, when the bus carrying 36 passengers, rolled at the Wine Country Drive roundabout, near the Hunter Expressway, at Greta.
The couple hold a notable presence in the Singleton Roosters AFL Club, and the Newcastle Herald understands several members of the local Aussie rules community attended the wedding. Among the guests were also people from Sydney, Queensland and Victoria.
The tragedy has rocked the local community.
A Singleton resident who wished to remain anonymous on Monday said they were anxiously waiting to hear who was on the bus.
"We're just waiting on bated breath, hoping it's not someone you know," they said.
The crash hit close to home for Singleton Strikers Football Club player Aimee Chick, who said her husband's cousin died on that same section of road 16 years ago.
"It was a bit of a shock to wake up to this morning. My husband has so many family and friends in the area, we're stressing it's not any of them," she said.
Amanda Hayward said she knew someone at her workplace who was getting married on the weekend, and had been "hoping and praying it's not them".
Singleton resident Jen Maloney, who books transport in the valley, said her heart goes out to all involved.
"This accident is absolutely heartbreaking. From celebrating the happiest day of a loved one's life to turn to the worst in an instant ... just heart breaking," she said.
Anthony Partridge from Singleton Bulls Rugby Union, said he was truly devastated for all those involved.
"It's absolutely horrible," he said.
"We're a tight-knit community, all we can do is offer support to anyone involved and my thoughts are with those people."
AFL NSW/ACT released a statement in response to the tragedy, saying it was "shocked and saddened by the bus tragedy in the Hunter Valley".
"We send our deepest condolences to all those affected in the accident, including those in the Singleton Roosters family and our Hunter Central Coast community," the body said.
"The AFL will offer wellbeing support services for any person in our Australian football community who needs them following this tragedy," they said.
Former Upper Hunter MP and long-term resident George Souris said he was "completely shaken by the whole thing".
He said the bus crash was the worst thing that's happened in the area since he began his 27-year stint as member.
"The only other tragedy was in 1989, the year I was first elected, the Grafton bus crash when two buses collided but this is the biggest and most crushing event that we've experienced," he said.
"Everyone's feeling and sharing the pain involved and I just hope we can get through it and I hope those who are in hospital pull through and we don't have any increase in the fatalities.
"As the news developed through the day, it turns out that I do know some people involved and my wife taught some of them, she's a retired teacher, but she taught some of these people," he said.
"... and so crashing is one word but crashing home is another."
Among several people injured in the bus crash were members of the Victorian Warrandyte Cricket Club, who had travelled north for the wedding.
Club president Royce Jaksic said he was hopeful the club's eight players and their five partners hadn't sustained life threatening injuries.
"Out of 36 passengers, it's a miracle they're not part of the fatalities. But our thoughts and prayers are with all involved, it's tragic," he said
'Hole in our hearts'
Singleton Council mayor Sue Moore met with NSW Premier Chris Minns and state members Clayton Barr and Dan Repacholi, and police at the crash site on Monday morning.
"We're just in absolute shock. We'll be pulling together to offer what's needed in this tragic time," she said.
"Absolutely horrendous circumstances with a wedding which is so joyful to turn into such tragedy - it's mind boggling."
She said thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones and those who are injured.
Cessnock MP Clayton Barr said the fact that it was a charter bus and had attended an event "tells us everyone on the bus probably knows each other".
"If they are from a particular community in the Hunter, that community is going to feel a massive hole in its heart," he said.
Cessnock City Council mayor Jay Suuval said it was devastating to hear anyone had died on local roads, let alone 10 people at once.
"We're all quite shocked to wake up to this," he said.
"We have people coming locally and from all around state in the country to celebrate events in our area, so makes it even more devastating when something like this occurs, which what should have otherwise been a day of celebration."
He praised the work of emergency responders who were faced with horrific scenes.
"I'm sure the community will be offering support to family and friends involved and also paying tribute to first responders from all around the Hunter region that came to site," he said.
"Our first responders do amazing work, and for them to turn up to such a horrific scene, we thank them and we will support them."
'It's a bit much'
Former Singleton Argus editor and long-term resident Di Sneddon said the incident is devastating for everyone.
"There isn't a person in the town or broader AFL community that isn't feeling the impacts of this news," she said.
"Singleton is a tight-knit community and we support and pull together when asked to do so, but this is beyond any tragedy anyone could imagine. It will be a very long time before anyone starts to recover, if we ever do.
"A dark cloud has come over our town and I can only hope and pray we get through it."
Hunter resident and long-term Argus journalist Louise Nichols could not believe the news at first.
"They went out they did the right thing, didn't drive home, caught a bus expecting to get home and then this happened," she said.
"To me that's the saddest part, they did the right thing. Family's worst nightmare."
She said in any country town the football teams are their heart and soul.
"All these young people - it's awful - a bus full of our next generation of our country town and this has shattered us," she said.
The horrific news has put Singleton in the headlines for a third time in recent weeks, following the pardoning of Kathleen Folbigg and the heart-breaking accident of Singleton mum Kylee Enwright who had a fall in Thailand, leaving her in a vegetative state.
"It's just awful for Singleton, three major stories in the space of a week - it's a bit much for a country town," Ms Nichols said.
The driver of the bus, 58-year-old Maitland man Brett Button, is due to face court on 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death.
Police are asking those who are worried or concerned about a family member in connection with the bus crash, to call or visit Cessnock Police Station.
"We are still trying to identify all the people on the bus," NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said.
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