Tragedy in Rural Victoria: Elderly Worker Killed by Falling Loading Ramp

WAGGARANDALL, Victoria — A 74-year-old worker has tragically lost his life following a heavy machinery incident at a rural property in northern Victoria.

Emergency services were called to a farm on Evans Road in Waggarandall, approximately 40 kilometres northeast of Shepparton, around 10:20 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026, following reports that a man was trapped under heavy equipment.

According to WorkSafe Victoria, the elderly worker was in the process of loading a skid steer loader onto a flatbed trailer when the loading ramp unexpectedly collapsed onto him.

Advanced life support paramedics, Victoria Police, and State Emergency Service (SES) personnel arrived at the scene shortly after the emergency call. Despite the immediate response and best efforts of emergency personnel, the 74-year-old man died at the scene from severe injuries.

A Victoria Police spokesperson confirmed that officers are not treating the death as suspicious. A detailed report is being prepared for the Coroner to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

WorkSafe Victoria has launched an official investigation into the workplace fatality to determine how the loading ramp detached or collapsed during the operation.

The sudden tragedy has sent shockwaves through the quiet farming community of Waggarandall and the surrounding Goulburn Valley region. Local agricultural leaders highlighted the unique vulnerabilities facing older regional workers, who often continue managing heavy physical workload and complex machinery operation well past typical retirement age. Neighbors and fellow community members gathered quietly near the property boundary as investigators surveyed the site, reflecting on the close-knit nature of rural townships where agricultural accidents hit families and friends particularly hard.

In light of the incident, safety advocates are renewing calls for stricter equipment maintenance protocols and mandatory safety retrofits for older transport trailers across the state. Heavy machinery ramps—particularly manual and hydraulic hinge mechanisms—are subject to significant structural wear and latch fatigue over repeated loading cycles. WorkSafe inspectors are emphasizing that routine inspection of pin locks, structural welds, and hydraulic pressure valves must remain a top priority for farm operators to prevent catastrophic mechanical failures during routine field operations.

This tragic incident marks the 42nd confirmed workplace death in Victoria for 2026. Workplace safety authorities continue to urge farm operators and heavy machinery handlers to perform thorough pre-start checks and maintain strict safety clearance zones around hydraulic and mechanical loading equipment.