Record-setting floods have left the Pacific Highway near Taree underwater for almost five days, stranding one driver and preventing him from returning home for over a day.
A 20-kilometre segment between Coopernook and South Taree was shut down, forcing motorists like Michael Atkinson to take long and difficult alternative routes last Wednesday. Mr Atkinson’s trip from Maclean to Nelson Bay ended up taking 26 hours due to the closures.
“I only found out about the road closure when I was just 10 kilometres from Taree,” he told the ABC.
“My journey home took 26 hours—driving north, spending the night in Glen Innes, and then travelling inland through the Hunter Valley.”
These disruptions underscore the area’s susceptibility to severe weather conditions.
MidCoast Council has estimated the closure’s economic impact at around $29 million, factoring in rerouted traffic and interrupted supply chains.
Motorists reported that inconsistent and unclear information about road closures and alternative routes made the shutdown even more chaotic. As a key transport corridor for the north coast of NSW, the Pacific Highway near Taree typically handles more than 26,000 vehicles daily—80% of them cars and 20% trucks, according to Transport for NSW.
Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison urged drivers to exercise caution during hazardous conditions.
“LiveTraffic doesn’t direct people where to go,” Ms Aitchison stated.
“Everyone is doing their best, but the situation is unpredictable. Conditions can change rapidly—even within minutes of an update on LiveTraffic.”
“It’s a tough scenario, and I’ll be reviewing how we can improve our response in future events.”
The recent flooding has taken a serious toll both in human and economic terms across the state.
So far, four people have died, and nearly 50,000 residents remain cut off due to flooded roads. Emergency responders have carried out over 675 rescues, and the Insurance Council of Australia has logged more than 1,600 flood-related claims.
