Buckrabendinni residents seals road deal with Nambucca Council

And it turned out that 60 per cent of the crowd were from Lower Buckrabendinni – the tiny community who have put their money on the table in a bid to get their gravel road sealed.

Adding weight to their cause, residents Jim Cameron and Terry Baldwin spoke at the meeting with Jim recounting how the parlous state of the road saw paramedics opt to have him airlifted to hospital after a tractor accident rather than risk further damage if moved by ambulance.

Dairy farmer Terry Baldwin gave a brief summary of the thirty years of lobbying that had thus far received many promises but no action.

“It is a high use road which is used by heavy vehicles,” Mr Baldwin said.

“In spite of having been graded, graveled and rolled four times in the last 12 months, the road is so rough and dusty that trucks are refusing to deliver to farms and the school bus is considering stopping its service.

“I can give you an iron-clad promise that landowners have pledged $131,000 towards the cost of the bitumen seal. We have come here to show you that we want to help ourselves and not just whinge.

“We hope the council will support us.”

With the unique offer laid out before them the council voted unanimously to extend the seal by 3.45 kilometres to the intersection of Deer Hill Rd.

The vote was met with huge applause and the mayor Rhonda Hoban acknowedging the “unusual” gesture.

“It is certainly unusual and very pleasing for a community to come to the party and assist to make something happen – we thank you for your hard work,” Cr Hoban said.

There followed a rapid exodus of much of the audience.

The total cost of the job has been estimated at $390,424 and will be considered as part of the council’s 2017/2018 Operational Plan.