Drivers at Belrose faced heavy delays on Mona Vale Road while four agencies worked to free a 77-year-old woman from her rolled car.
Counting the Response
The crash happened on Thursday, 24 September Just before 10:30 a.m., Triple Zero (000) operators began taking calls about a car that had left the road near the Greenwood Landfill & Waste Recovery Facility, the Northern Beaches Advocate reported. Four ambulance crews, three police units, crews from two Rural Fire Service stations and one specialist rescue team from Fire and Rescue NSW went to the scene. Four agencies, one stretch of road, and a lot of people with different jobs to do.
NSW Ambulance’s four crews included Intensive Care Paramedics and Inspector Melissa McGovern. The police units came from Northern Beaches Police Area Command. Rural Fire Service volunteers arrived from the Terrey Hills and Ku-ring-gai stations, and the rescue specialists were from Fire and Rescue NSW’s Gordon station.
What the Crews Found
The car was reported to be heading east when it went through the median strip. It then rolled across the westbound lanes and hit trees beside the road, setting off every airbag. It came to rest in bushes just before the waste facility’s entry. The woman was alone in the car, semiconscious and trapped.
What does a rescue like this look like from the roadside? Three things were happening at the same time. Volunteers ran out a hose line in case the car caught fire. Paramedics checked the woman’s condition. Rescue firefighters worked out how to reach her. Once the plan was set, hydraulic tools pried open the driver’s door, and crews moved her onto an ambulance stretcher.
Hospital and Injuries
Paramedics assessed a severe crush and amputation injury to her right hand, along with injuries to her lower legs. They were also concerned about possible internal and spinal injuries, so Intensive Care Paramedics treated her at the roadside before she was moved. Shortly after 11 a.m., she was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious condition. The Advocate’s report did not give a later update.
NSW Police are investigating the cause. No other vehicles appear to have been involved. It is suspected the woman may have had a medical episode before the car left the road, though police have not released any findings.
Slow Going on Mona Vale Road
One westbound lane was closed during the rescue and the police investigation. Heavy traffic built up from the Forest Way end of the road and lasted into the afternoon. The scene was cleared just after 3 p.m.
This is general guidance and is not linked to any finding about this crash. Drivers in NSW must tell Transport for NSW as soon as possible about medical conditions recommended for notification, and the agency may add licence conditions or ask for a medical assessment. A GP is the best first stop for anyone unsure whether a health condition affects their driving.
Published Date 01-October-2026
