Drivers escape serious injury in Bulls Gorge head-on smash near Kerikeri

The crash spun both vehicles 180 degrees with the lawn-mowing contractor's ute and trailer coming to rest on its side in the northbound lane.

Two drivers were lucky to escape with only moderate injuries after a head-on smash on Bulls Gorge near Kerikeri.

The crash occurred at the bottom of the gorge on State Highway 10 at 10.20am yesterday.

Both vehicles involved, a Nissan station wagon and Ford ute towing a trailer, were spun 180 degrees by the impact, with the ute coming to rest on its side blocking the northbound lane. The station wagon ended up nearby on the shoulder.

The front of both cars was crushed while lawnmowers, fuel containers and tools from the ute and trailer, which belongs to the Green Acres lawn-mowing franchise, were strewn across the highway.

Both drivers were out of their vehicles when emergency services arrived. They were taken to Bay of Islands Hospital by St John Ambulance with moderate injuries.

Two crews from the Kerikeri Fire Brigade helped with traffic control, clearing debris, recovering lawn-mowing equipment and mopping up oil leaking from both vehicles.

Sergeant Ross Laurie, of Kerikeri police, said it appeared a vehicle towing a trailer had crossed the centreline while heading up the gorge and collided with a station wagon travelling in the opposite direction. Police were still investigating why the vehicle had crossed the centreline.

The crash caused traffic to back up in both directions but cars were able to get through using the open southbound lane.