We were camping at a place called Stewarts Brook and we had been swimming most of the day,’ Grahame recalls.
‘It was a bit before dark and the kids wanted to ride their motorbikes. I myself was a bit over it but some other dads there said it was ok for one last ride so I because they had all been such good kids all day at the creek.’
The devoted dad made sure Lilly was wearing pants, boots, a Jersey and a tightly-secured helmet before starting her bike.
‘She fist pumped me and took off only to ride around five metres before flipping the quad and landing heavily on her side,’ Grahame tells New Idea.
‘I went to help her up and noticed her arm was a bit bent. We knew it was broken straight away.’
Grahame immediately called an ambulance but the roads were rough and he was worried about the extent of his daughter’s injuries.
Within 40 minutes an ambulance and two police cars arrived – soon followed by a chopper operated by the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service.
‘They then explained the chopper had come because it was a motor bike accident, and they were taking us to John Hunter hospital,’ Grahame says.
‘They loaded us up and off we went. Lilly was so excited, she forgot she had hurt herself.’
Lilly was taken to John Hunter Hospital where it was discovered she had a had a broken arm between her elbow and wrist.
After her arm was plastered, she spent the night in hospital.
‘I remember thinking ‘I have to explain this to her mum!’’ Grahame recalls. ‘Then thinking this was getting serious and glad we were getting help.’
Lilly's recovery took six weeks but the brave tot declared that she loved her cast because it had dinosaurs on it.
Three years on from the ordeal, Grahame says while the accident has slowed her down on her bike, it hasn’t dampened Lilly’s spirit or the fact she wants to ride.
‘Lilly wants to be part of the rescue crew when she gets older or a fireman or a vet,’ Grahame laughs, adding that his daughter wants to thank the crew who rescued her.
‘She loves the chopper,’ he concludes. ‘Every time we see the chopper she points at it and says "Look dad, there's my chopper".’
Lilly’s story appears on Air Rescue – Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 7