FINGAL BAY locals "generally survive" the flood of tourists in summer, but one has called for road changes after claiming an ambulance for her son got stuck in gridlocked traffic.
Frustrated locals have called on the government take action on a road upgrade project that's sat idle for more than three years.
Kiara Caslick has lived in the small seaside town for the past three-and-a-half years, and told the Newcastle Herald she tries to hibernate over the Christmas holidays, doing her grocery shops at 6am, and allows more than three times the normal time needed to get to or from Salamander Bay.
"It's like the whole of Australia just comes to the bay at the one time," she said.
Tourism is a key driver of the Port Stephens economy and is a booming industry, but it's not visitors Ms Caslick is worried about - it's roads.
It hit home for her on Thursday, December 28, when her son had a bad seizure and she had to call emergency services.
Ms Caslick said she was told an ambulance was about 35 minutes away because of traffic.
"A lot of people say that because it's a tourist town, you should just put up with it," she said.
"You generally survive, but the thing that concerns me is the emergency stuff.
"It's not about the tourists."
The ambulance arrived and Ms Caslick's son was treated.
Ms Caslick said cars built up along Shoal Bay Road, and it could be bumper-to-bumper from Salamander Bay through to Shoal Bay and on to Fingal.
It usually takes her about 20 minutes to get from her Fingal Bay home to Salamander Bay, but at this time of year, it could take her an hour, depending on the time of day.
Other residents have reported similar travel times through that area.
Transport for NSW released a report on proposed route options to improve access to Fingal Bay back in November 2020.
The community was consulted on three options - a new Fingal Bay Link Road, an extension at Austral Street, or improving the local road network from Church Street.
Consultation closed in December 2020, more than three years ago.
"Transport for NSW continues to carefully consider feedback and investigate options raised by the community during the consultation period," a spokesperson said.
The last update provided on the project's website was in 2020.
Ms Caslick said it wasn't good enough.
"People have given up on anything ever changing but I feel like I would like to try and push for something to change," she said.
Ms Caslick said these holidays seemed especially busy in Port Stephens with people out enjoying beach weather.
Another resident of more than 20 years took to social media to say that while she loved living in paradise, holiday season was a nightmare for traffic, and this year seemed to be one of the worst she'd seen.
Ahead of the New Year's long weekend, traffic was heavy in the Port Stephens area on Friday and towns and beaches were bustling.
The former state government promised $188 million for the Fingal Bay Link Road project ahead of the 2019 election, and since then, Transport for NSW has carried out some preliminary works.
A report on the consultation was presented to the former state government.
