He was a "mates' mate" adored by his family, including widow Alexandra, 23, who are mourning the loss of his life after the 25-year-old from Raymond Terrace was killed at Hunter Quarries.

Mr Messenger died shortly before 9am on Tuesday, September 10, after the 45-tonne excavator he was operating at the Karuah quarry, along Andersite Road, rolled.

Janelle Russell, Mr Messenger's mother, released a statement last Thursday which detailed the kind of man her eldest son had been.

"Ryan has always been the life of the room," she said.

"He was always the class clown. He is loved lots by his sister Teara, his brother Ethan, stepbrother Rob and niece Shaffira.

"Ryan loved life to the fullest but loved his wife Alexandra more."

Alexandra, a nurse at John Hunter Hospital, and Mr Messenger married in February and had built a house together in Raymond Terrace.

He was a butcher by trade but began working at Hunter Quarries two years ago with his stepfather, Brian Russell.

Mrs Russell said she did not blame Hunter Quarries for the loss of her son's life, which comes after the 2005 death of truck driver Darren Smith at the same quarry.

"This is a very sad accident that has taken place and is just that - an accident, nothing more," she said.

It was not until 7pm on Thursday, September 11, that police recovered Mr Messenger's body.

Police said the delay in reaching the body was due to the precarious position the excavator had landed on the edge of the quarry.

Three cranes were called in to assist with the retrieval.

The delay in recovering Mr Messenger's body prompted Hunter Quarries director Hilton Grugeon to slam state government officials.

He said the delay was "an extraordinary display of incompetence".

A report will be completed by police for the information of the coroner.

Investigations are under way by the Mine Safety Investigations Unit from the NSW Division of Resources and Energy.