Lynne Mowbray |

This time last year the Clarence Valley was facing one of the worst fire seasons on record, with multiple fires burning throughout the valley.

The scheduled community walk over the new Harwood Bridge, which was organised in the lead up to its official opening, was cancelled due to the heavy smoke.

For weeks after the new bridge opened, residents from around the Clarence Valley, took the opportunity to jump in their car and take a drive over the enormous and for some daunting, new bridge.

The first anniversary of the opening of new Harwood Bridge slipped by quietly on Sunday, December 6, 2020.

The new Harwood Bridge is the longest and highest crossing in the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade.

The last section of the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade south of Woodburn was opened to motorists over the weekend.

The completed upgrade is set to cut around 25 minutes off the trip between Woolgoolga and Ballina and is approximately 13 kilometres shorter.

The new section of highway is not only quicker, but safer and will assist in fewer fatalities.