Motorcyclist dies after hitting horse

A motorcyclist has been killed and his pillion passenger seriously injured after they hit a horse on a highway in the central west of NSW.

Police say the riders were travelling on the Mid Western Highway at Lyndhurst near Blayney at about 8.15pm (AEDT) on Tuesday when they hit the unaccompanied horse.

The 56-year-old male rider died at the scene and his 29-year-old male passenger was taken to Blayney Hospital before being airlifted to Westmead Hospital with serious head injuries.

The horse had to be put down due to extreme injuries.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

In a separate incident, a 25-year-old woman was killed when her car crashed into a tree on Myall Way at Tea Gardens near Port Stephens at about 10.40pm on Tuesday.