Allison Lipman speaks out about Coramba Road black spot after funding win

Six months after moving into their Coffs Coast home an out-of-control car landed eight metres from where they slept. And the cars kept coming.

The Lipman family have opened up on what it’s been like living next to a notorious black spot which they estimate has been the site of more than 90 crashes.

For years, the sight of a car crashed in a ditch on the side of Coramba Road was all too familiar for Orara Valley locals making their way to and from Coffs Harbour.

After the State Government committed almost $900,000 to upgrade the stretch of road at Karangi, Allison Lipman said within six months of moving in a car crashed during the night, coming to rest just eight metres from their house.

“We have lived here for 23 years and over that time there have been more than 92 accidents on either side of the road,” she said.

Clarence Valley Deputy Mayor George Cecato, Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh and Coramba Rd property owner Allison Lipman. The NSW Government will spend almost $900,000 fixing a notorious stretch of Coramba road at Karangi after residents spoke out about the black spot. Photo: Tim Jarrett

Ms Lipman added that drivers “seem to take turns” between crashing into their property and into ditch in front of their neighbour opposite, and her daughter Lindsay Poynter was often the one to render assistance.

On the most dramatic occasion Ms Poynter had to pull an unconscious 83-year-old woman from an upside down car.

“Luckily she only hurt a couple of ribs and her shoulder,” Ms Poynter said.

“A lot (of the crash victims) come out with a lot of bumps and bruises … but there have been six where I have approached the vehicle going ‘what I am opening the door to?’.”

Lindsay Poynter is referred to by her mum as the family “first aider” after assisting a number of people after they crash into or near their property. Photo: Tim Jarrett

The crashes have forced the family to repeatedly repair damaged fencing, and they have invested in measures to improve drainage to make the road safer and widened their driveway to allow more space for the school bus.

The issue came to a head in recent months after another resident, Tamara Haldon, expressed fears her children “would see something they can’t unsee” and released crash footage taken from a nearby CCTV camera.

At Monday’s funding announcement Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh was asked whether the funding would have been forthcoming if it wasn’t caught on video or whether the planned work was an acknowledgment there was an issue with the structure of the road.

Clarence Valley Councillor George Cecato, Coffs Harbour MP Gurmesh Singh and Coramba Rd property owners Allison Lipman, Lindsay Poynter and Robert Poynter. Photo: Tim Jarrett

“It probably would have been (provided) but certainly seeing some of that footage of cars cartwheeling through the air … certainly brings focus to an area like this,” he said.

“On a nice dry day it doesn’t look like there should be any issue on this road but I think the sheer volume of accidents would (suggest) maybe we do need to look at something here and that is what we are doing with this money.”

Coffs Harbour City Council deputy mayor George Cecato acknowledged the issue had been going on “a fair few years” and that following preliminary studies the main issues were the camber of the road in the wet and speed.

In December Council removed the overtaking lane as a preliminary measure while their application for upgrade funding was processed. Three days later another car crashed through the Lipman’s fence.

With money from the state government now secure, Mr Cecato said reconstruction works should be finished by the middle of next year.