Car driven off NSW cliff hits mother, baby

Three people are lucky to be alive after a car plunged down a cliff, hitting a mother and her baby on a popular Newcastle beach.

Emergency services were called to Bar Beach around 10.30am on Thursday, after receiving reports a car had driven off a cliff.

A 40-year-old woman and her one-year-old baby, who were on the beach below the cliff, were hit by the car.

The baby escaped with minor scratches, but her mother was taken to John Hunter Hospital with possible leg fractures.

The 32-year-old driver was treated at the scene for minor injuries, and taken to hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing.

"It's a miracle no one was seriously injured," NSW Ambulance Inspector Jason Saper said in a statement.

"They are very lucky to be alive, it was a significant fall from the cliff."

Police are investigating the cause of the crash, and reports there was a male passenger in the white Volkswagen Golf.

They are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.