Janis Draper: Mum’s remarkable recovery after she was hit by car in Campbells Creek

A husband and keen cyclist was granted a special exemption with his daughters for a ‘final visit’ to his wife after a horror accident at Campbells Creek.

Janis Draper, 72, was critically injured after being hit by a car while riding her bike at the corner of Moscript St and Main Rd, Campbells Creek, on Friday June 11. Picture: Contributed

Doctors told a Campbells Creek man to say goodbye to his wife after she was hit by a car riding her bike 42km south of Bendigo.

Paul Draper’s wife Janis was raced to intensive care following the accident at the corner of Moscript St and Main Rd, Campbells Creek, on Friday June 11.

In the weeks since, Janis, who has also survived two cancer diagnoses, has made a remarkable recovery but Mr Draper said doctors initially feared she wouldn’t survive.

He and his two daughters were given special consideration from Covid restrictions to visit Janis in her Royal Melbourne Hospital room.

“We didn’t know why at first,” he said.

“But we found out it was considered to be an end of life visit.”

Janis suffered a life-threatening burst blood vessel, cracks to her vertebrae, a broken wrist and tibia and needed a skin graft to the top of her thigh.

She also needed help breathing for five days.

“She’s been through the mill,” Mr Draper said.

Mr Draper said his 72-year-old wife had defied the odds and was recovering.

He said she recognises her family but can’t remember what happened and was still disorientated.

Mr Draper said on the morning of the crash they rode to Castlemaine for coffee — something the couple does often.

He said on the way back he stopped to buy a newspaper, and told his wife to go ahead without him.

When he caught up, traffic was stopped on Main Rd about 1km from his home.

“I saw somebody on the road … when I saw her white bike I realised what it was,” he said.

Mr Draper’s wife was unconscious and groaning as strangers tried to help her.

He said the 20 minute wait for paramedics “seemed like an eternity”.

Mr Draper said Janis was intubated at the scene before she was flown to Melbourne.

A police Victoria spokeswoman said a cyclist collided with a silver Nissan at the intersection of Main Road and Moscript Street about 12.20pm.

She said the driver, an 83-year-old Hepburn Springs man, helped the cyclist.

CycleSafe Mount Alexander president Penny Gilbert said it was a notorious intersection with a number of injuries and near misses.

“It’s almost like a slip lane,” Ms Gilbert said.

Ms Gilbert said the highway cycle lane was used by many cyclists, including herself, other daily commuters, schoolchildren and the recreational riders she described as “old blokes with grey hair and fluoro jackets”.

But she said after the crash she feared for cyclists navigating that stretch of road.

“I just felt sick (watching people ride),” she said.

“Myself, riding around, I didn’t want to be on the road.

“You don’t know who it’s going to be.”

Ms Gilbert said cycle lanes existed on the side of the highway but were poorly maintained.

The Department of Transport said the Main Rd was inspected by Regional Roads Victoria every fortnight.

Data collected by the department said there was only one reported crash at the intersection of in the past five years.

Janis Draper, 72, was critically injured after being hit by a car while riding her bike at the corner of Moscript St and Main Rd, Campbells Creek, on Friday June 11. Picture: Contributed

A Mount Alexander Shire Council spokeswoman said there were strategies in place to improve safety for cyclists in the region, including road maintenance and widening.

She said the Moscript St and Main Rd intersection was a Victorian Government responsibility, but the council was active in advocating for major road upgrades and reduced speed limits in the shire.

“(The) council recently successfully lobbied for funding to design and construct an 800m ‘missing link’ of the Campbell’s Creek Walking and Cycling Trail,” she said.

For now, Mr Draper said he could only watch his wife’s slow recovery via videolinks and phone calls.

“I feel frustrated,” he said.

“It’s been so hard not being able to see her and connect with her.”

Mr Draper said he and his wife were avid cyclists, but now he was unsure if they would ride again.

“I get this weird feeling every time I see them (cyclists),” he said.

“There’s only one winner out of a vehicle and a cyclist.

“It’s fraught with danger.”