The Magpies' last home victory was back in August, since when they have now failed to win any of their last six home engagements.
Torquay seemed to offer the best chance of all to bring this sorry sequence to and end. They had won only once on their travels are rooted to the foot of League Two.
However, taking the 90 minutes as a whole, Torquay played the better football and their lowly position has certainly dented neither their self confidence nor their team spirit.
Torquay refused to be daunted by conceding a goal as early as the eighth minute after they had made all the early running without looking particularly sharp inside the box.
When Torquay failed to defend a free-kick well delivered by Robert Ullathorne they paid the price. Julien Baudet headed the ball back across goal and midfielder Michael Edwards was given all the time he needed to convert at short range.
Notts were still ahead at the break, after which they spurned glorious chances to put the result beyond doubt.
The best opportunity of all came in the 53 minutes when Adam Tann and David Pipe linked up beautifully down the right but, though well positioned in the middle, strikers Andy White and Glynn Hurst both missed the cross.
Notts midfielders Pipe and Lewis McMahon were always willing to have a pop at goal and Pipe produced a brilliant parry from visiting goalkeeper Andy Marriott on the hour mark.
Torquay kept plugging away and it was from another free kick - taken by Darren Garner - that they levelled n 71 minutes. Adam Lockwood was given far too much space and headed in comfortably.
Notts lost their composure for a while and, in an attempt to re-impose themselves on the game, brought debutant Mark De Bolla off the bench and he rewarded Notts with a goal four minutes after his entry.
He made goalkeeper Marriott commit himself and then chipped the ball over the top of him for a beautifully cool finish.
With Notts' fans ready to salute a home win, Torquay had the last word when Jo Kuffour forced the ball over the line at short range in the very last minute.
By then Notts were reduced to ten men with Tann sent off for two bookable offences, both of them fouls on Kuffour.