The Brocklesby and wider community is mourning the death of farmer Ben Bailey, who died on Thursday night after his car crashed into a tree.
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Emergency services were called to Kywong-Howlong Road, 45 kilometres north-west of Albury, about 9.30pm after reports a vehicle had left the road near Kenya Road and hit a tree.
The 38-year-old is survived by his wife Georgina and two young children.
The couple managed 3500 hectares of crops including wheat and canola at Brocklesby and also took on ventures in Wangaratta.
Mr Bailey had been on the committee of broadacre farming group Riverine Plains and its immediate past chairman, who served alongside him, John Bruce paid tribute.
"He was a goer, there was no doubt about that," the Barooga farmer said.
"He was a lovely fella, his wife Georgie is lovely too, and they've got two young boys - it's going to knock the community around, that's for sure.
"You wouldn't find a more genuine, hard-working bloke."
Mr Bailey, who grew up in Albury, had lived in the Brocklesby area for more than 15 years.
A close friend of Mr Bailey, who did not wish to be named, said farmers from around the region had already started to pitch in to help the family.
“There’s already been a lot of hands thrown in the ring, with people coming to help out,” he said.
“He was one of the best blokes I’ve ever met, he had a big heart.
“I met him about 10 years ago and I would talk to him 10 times a day.
“There wasn’t too many people who didn’t know him and he didn’t have an enemies – if he did, I didn’t know about them.”
Brocklesby man Craig Robson was the first person to come across the crash on Thursday night and notified emergency services.
“It was pretty horrific to see; the vehicle was in a bad way,” he said.
“I will struggle going past the scene again.
“With it being Easter-time, it’s just terrible to have a fatality – the community will be feeling the loss.”
Kywong-Howlong Road was closed for more than three hours.
The cause of the crash is being investigated and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
