About 20 residents gathered last week to discuss how to convince Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to take their concerns seriously.

They point to a recent crash where a driver lost control of her vehicle and ended upside down in a side ditch. Along with her two children in the car, the woman was in shock when emergency services arrived.

Tarcoola Road resident Graeme Sayer said that crash was consistent with many accidents on the road.

"Every resident along Maria River Road has helped someone get their vehicle out of the drains on the side of the road," he said.

"These go unreported, so I guess they don't show up in the statistics. But they happen.

"As you drive along Maria River Road, you have to take evasive action to not hit potholes and this means you, at times, have to drive closer to the side of the road.

"The latest crash was particularly severe. I just don't know how they survived, to be honest."

Another resident, Wayne Woodlands, said he was particularly concerned with the expected increase in traffic during the upcoming Easter holiday break.

"These holidaymakers drive into Port Macquarie to stock up and then travel up the Maria River Road to Crescent Head," he said.

"But, given the road's condition, I can see a day very soon when these holidaymakers will bypass Port Macquarie completely.

They'll shop at Kempsey before travelling to their destination ... so there will be a financial reaction to Port businesses."

The road is currently graded just twice a year but residents want council to reconsider their works program.

Included in the group were business operators, farmers, retirees and landholders.

They say the economic impact of operating on a poorly maintained road is enormous while simply getting tradesmen or deliveries to residents is proving continually difficult.

The road services a number of tea tree operations which alone generates millions of dollars in revenue each year.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council group manger Duncan Clarke said Maria River Road is afforded council's highest level of unsealed roads maintenance, which is currently six monthly.

"Since 2011, the grading on Maria River Road has increased from annually to bi-annually, and council has no plans to increase the grading level of service in the near future," he said.

"Maria River Road is scheduled to receive its next six-monthly grade after Easter."