Derek Talbott said his partner and three children, all under six years old, now lived in town at Gunnedah as his six-year-old asthmatic son was unable to cope with the dust.

"They were always getting sick," Mr Talbott said.

"My little boy has asthma. He’s an outdoor person, but when I see the dust I have to pull him inside."

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It has been a "bone of contention" for a number of years, and disagreements have ensued between election candidates and Narrabri Shire Council about whether the approximate 18km unsealed section should be upgraded.

Mr Talbott told the NVI his family had been living in town for about six months, and he would move with them, but it was easier for his work to live on Rangari Road.

"I come [into town] on my days off," he said.

"I miss the kids … I bring them back for a night or two, but I just don't want to keep them out all the time in case they get sick."

Mr Talbott said he also never hung his washing on the clothes line due to the thick dust.

"I have to put my washing through the dryer because the dust sits there," he said.

"With trucks going past, it's 100km along [Rangari Road], it reefs [the dust] up.

But the road remains a no-go zone for Narrabri Shire Council.

In a recent report, the council stated “any major upgrade would lead to further strain on local businesses and the local economy".

Mr Talbott said he hoped the road would be sealed sooner rather than later.

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