Sunday, December 14, 1997: "FIFTEEN thousand people celebrated the liberation of Taree's main thoroughfare and the return of the city's main street to the people when the $119 million bypass was officially opened on Sunday.''
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So reported an upbeat Helen Manusu, then editor of the Manning River Times, in a special supplement on Tuesday, December 16 to mark the opening of the Taree Bypass.
"Sunday's historic official opening attracted a crowd 50 per cent higher than all community predictions. Organisers of the bypass party - the three Taree Rotary club - thought 10,000 might turn out,'' Helen continued.
It was officially Taree's biggest ever celebration, eclipsing both the arrival of the first train in 1913 and the official opening of the Martin Bridge in 1940.
"They came by bus, by car, on foot and on push bikes. From tiny babies sleeping in their strollers, oblivious to all the excitement - to the elderly in wheelchairs - sometimes four generations of entire families - eager to cover the route and collect their official 'Bridge to Bridge' walk certificate.
"Spontaneous applause broke out as Greater Taree City mayor Les Brown heralded the end to noisy semi trailers in Taree's main street and as NSW minister for roads and transport Carl Scully proclaimed it 'the day when Taree is returned to is local community - the day Taree farewells the 1500 heavy trucks that have rumbled daily through the town detracting from the amenity for locals and visitors alike,'' the report continued.
Dale Haberfield covered the day pictorially for the Times
