Two men dead, woman hospitalised after drowning at Never Never River, Glennifer

Two men have died and a woman has been hospitalised after swimming in a river in NSW’s Mid North Coast.

Emergency services were called to John Locke Place in Gleniffer – about 9km north of Bellingen – about 6.45pm on Sunday after reports of people struggling in Never Never River.

Police were told three people – two men and a woman aged in their 30s – were swimming in the riverwhen they began to struggle.

A NSW Ambulance spokesman said crews were called to the holiday spot after reports three people had been “submerged under the water”.

The woman was pulled from the water and treated at the scene before she was transported to Coffs Harbour Health Campus in a serious condition.

The two other men were pulled from the water but could not be revived and died at the scene.

The Never Never River is a popular swimming spot that has been dubbed online as “Australia’s best-kept secret”.

The secluded area has attracted hundreds of visitors in recent years after the picturesque location went viral on social media.

The river is home to swings and ropes for visiting tourists, who often set up camp at the riverbank and dive and swim in the water.

In 2024, an overload of tourists, pets and traffic to the area triggered the council to temporarily shut access after faecal matter was discovered in the water.