Several vehicles have had tyres damaged, and rims broken as they’ve travelled along a notoriously dangerous 22km section of Armidale Road between Coutts Crossing and Nymboida in recent months, with one social media user likening it to the Mariana Trench.

With countless potholes, some measuring 16cm deep and 40cm wide, creating a hazardous obstacle course on the bitumen, many locals and business representatives including the Management Committee of the Nymboida Camping and Canoeing Centre, have shared various warnings online, urging motorists to take care, especially as school holiday traffic increases in the area.

But while recent repair work undertaken by Clarence Valley Council (CVC) to fill in a number of potholes earlier this month has been welcomed, many locals who frequently travel along Armidale Road, including Ros Cooper, are adamant more needs to be done to further improve safety for all road users.

While she commends Council for their work and estimates 80 percent of the potholes located within the most treacherous section of Armidale Road have now been filled in, Ms Cooper said resealing and resurfacing the main thoroughfare would significantly increase safety for motorists.

“The danger (caused by numerous potholes) has been rectified to some degree, but that is only until they open up again,” she said.

“Good on you Council, you did a good job, but why isn’t more being done?”

Ms Cooper has lived in Nymboida for seven years and works at the Nymboida Camping and Canoeing Centre.

Prior to the repair work commencing along Armidale Road, she said the popular tourist destination had experienced an influx of motorists reporting serious tyre and rim damage to their vehicles.

“One couple came in with two flat tyres and two bent rims,” she revealed.

“They were on their way home to Victoria.

“We helped them out and got them back on the road, but it was a significant experience for them.”

Ms Cooper said motorists have been forced to reduce their speed, and in some instances cross to the wrong side of the road to avoid the worst of the potholes, subsequently creating further hazards for other travellers.

“The speed limit is 100km/h along that section of Armidale Road, but it has not been safe for drivers to go that fast,” she explained.

“It’s a bit of a win for us, having most of the potholes be filled in, and the short term immediate danger has been significantly reduced, but it (Armidale Road) needs to be repaired correctly.

“It needs to be resealed and resurfaced.”

When contacted by the Clarence Valley Independent earlier this week, Council forwarded a statement advising they are still awaiting confirmation of disaster recovery funding from the NSW Reconstruction Authority for essential restoration works on Armidale Road between Coutts Crossing and Nymboida.

“Until this funding is confirmed, Council is forced to continue managing and prioritising repairs within the limits of the funding currently available”, the statement read.

“Rehabilitation works commenced in November 2025, focusing on the sections most severely damaged between Nymboida and Clouds Creek.

“To date, approximately 65000 square metres of Armidale Road have been fully rehabilitated.”

“However, the broader condition of the road is a direct result of prolonged uncertainty, unfunded responsibilities, and unfulfilled commitments by the State Government.

“In September 2021, the then Minister for Regional Transport and Roads announced that 107.64km of Armidale Road would be transferred to State management.

“Transport for NSW established a dedicated team to facilitate the handover, and Council was advised that the only remaining condition required to finalise the transfer was the completion of all existing grant-funded projects.

“At that time, Council had multiple active grant projects underway, including bridge replacements and major road rehabilitation works.

“Council formally requested that this condition be removed to allow the handover to proceed. “This request was rejected, and Council was advised to stop applying for further grants if it wanted the handover to occur, placing Council in an untenable position.

“Between February and August 2023, the Transport for NSW handover team was stood down without notice.

“No formal advice was provided to Council regarding the status of the road transfer.

“Despite three separate Council resolutions seeking clarification, it was not until January 2024 that Council was informed the original handover process would not proceed.

“Instead, Council was advised it must participate in a new road re-categorisation process that remains under development.

“Until that process is finalised, Council has been required to continue maintaining Armidale Road without appropriate funding support.

“Throughout this period, Council has repeatedly sought financial compensation for the costs imposed by the State Government’s conditions and failure to honour the original handover commitment.

“These requests have been ignored by the current State Government.

“Compounding the issue, Armidale Road has sustained significant damage from multiple declared natural disaster events during this prolonged period of uncertainty.

“The escalating cost of restoration is well beyond Council’s financial capacity without State funding support.

“Council acknowledges and shares the community’s frustration.

“The condition of Armidale Road is not the result of inaction by Council, but of sustained State Government delays, changing processes, and a failure to honour commitments.

“Subject to available funding, Council aims to commence further restoration works from February 2026.”

Member for Clarence Richie Williamson said he has a lot of sympathy for the position Council have been placed in.

“Armidale Road is a state road, the State Government own it, and Council are responsible for the management of it, including maintenance,” he explained.

“I am convinced the State Government have shortchanged Council in excess of $17.8 million in lost grants in recent years.

“Because of that, we have seen Armidale Road in an appalling state.”

Mr Williamson has written to the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison, requesting the funds be made available to Council.

He has also invited the Minister to meet with himself and CVC Mayor Ray Smith and take a drive along Armidale Road to Ebor to allow her to see and understand firsthand how important the thoroughfare is for local constituents.

Mr Williamson said he had not received a response from the Minister as this edition of the Clarence Valley Independent went to print.

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 23 January 2026.