That's the fear of club administrator Jan Clingeleffer.

The pathway used by the club has been blocked off. It would be virtually impossible for a vehicle to get onto the beach towing an IRB as the path drops off just before the beach. Exposed boards are a further hazard.

Greater Taree City Council has given the club permission to use an emergency access at nearby Mud Bishops.

However, this presents other problems.

"You would have to be an experienced driver of a four wheel drive to tow an IRB there,'' Mrs Clingeleffer explained.

"And the access there goes with the tides.

"We're talking 24/7 here when an IRB could be needed. It's not just on weekends. We may not have someone with the necessary experience to get the IRB to Mud Bishops if it was needed in an emergency.''

The club's IRB sits immobile in the clubhouse.

"We have a new motor for it that hasn't even been run in yet,'' Mrs Clingeleffer noted.

Mrs Clingeleffer has met with council on the problem. She said no work would be carried out on the boat ramp for fears that digging further into the wall would cause more erosion in the long term.

She said the ramp was badly damaged in the most recent period of rough weather although she wrote to council on the matter towards the end of last summer. Mrs Clingeleffer explained the club has had to apply for dispensation from Surf Life Saving NSW to continue to patrols this season.

"It's part of the patrol agreement to have an IRB on the beach,'' she said.

The club has yet to hear if this has been allowed, although Mrs Clingeleffer is confident the news will be positive.

"But how long are they going to be so understanding?'' she asked.

Mrs Clingeleffer said it was not just the beach users at Old Bar who are potentially at risk.

"We're talking about yachts in trouble or people out at sea fishing,'' she said.

The club could also be called into assist with a rescue at neighbouring beaches at any time of day or night.

Club members are also hampered getting gear on the beach for regular patrols. Everything now has to be carried, whether it be shade marquees, flags, first aid equipment or rescue boards.

"Once we could just put all the gear on a trailer. That's not possible now,'' she said.

The club is due to host a carnival along with a coaching program on two weekends next month. The coaching program would have attracted clubs from as far north as South West Rocks.

However, Mrs Clingeleffer said other venues would now have to be considered because of the lack of access to the beach.

People still use the track to get to the beach.

"If someone is hurt doing that - breaks a leg or something - I wonder who will be responsible?'' Mrs Clingeleffer said.

Mrs Clingeleffer said she doesn't want to see any further damage to the beach environment. But she believes action needs to be taken in the short and long term to remedy the problem before there's a tragedy.