CREWS have been at the scene of a major car accident southwest of Mackay which has left a man in his forties with serious spinal injuries.

Police said three cars collided in a head-on crash on the Moranbah Access Rd at Moranbah just after 5pm, with at least one of the cars rolled onto its side.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said the man's injuries were "serious but not life-threatening".

Emergency crews had to work to free the man who was trapped inside the vehicle.

The RACQ LifeFlight Helicopter transported the man in a serious condition to Townsville hospital after the crash near Moranbah airport.

"A van travelling at 80km is believed to have hit the back of a second car turning right which hit an oncoming vehicle," the service tweeted.

Paramedics were also treating another man in his 50s and a women in her 30s at the scene who both suffered minor injuries.

They were transported to Mackay Hospital in a stable condition.

Meanwhile, NSW Police are investigating a fatal crash in the state's mid-west.

Just before 4pm on Wednesday, emergency services were called to Ilford Sofala Road at Ilford, after reports two cars had crashed head on.

The female driver of a Suzuki, aged in her 20s, died at the scene.

The male driver and female passenger of a Holden Ute were both airlifted to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition.

Officers from Orana-Mid Western Police District attended and with the assistance of the Crash Investigation Unit, will investigate the circumstances of the crash.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.