As a timber truss road bridge, it has strong associations with the expansion of the road network and economic activity throughout NSW, and Ernest DeBurgh, the designer of this type of truss.

DeBurgh trusses were fourth in the five stage design evolution of NSW timber truss road bridges. Designed by Public Works engineer Ernest M. DeBurgh, the DeBurgh truss is an adaptation of the American Pratt truss design. The DeBurgh truss is the first to use significant amounts of steel and iron, and did so in spite of its high cost and the government's historical preference for timber.

DeBurgh trusses were significant technical improvements over their predecessors. The Tabulam bridge is the longest extant DeBurgh truss bridge, and has concrete piers, thus giving the bridge a high degree of technical significance.

In 1998 there were 10 surviving DeBurgh trusses in NSW of the 20 built, and 82 timber truss road bridges survive from the over 400 built.

The Tabulam bridge is a representative example of DeBurgh timber truss road bridges, and is assessed as being Nationally significant, primarily on the basis of its technical and historical significance.

The main spans are supported by concrete piers located in the river. The approaches are supported by timber trestles.

A timber post and rail guard rail extends the full length of the bridge. The bridge provides a single lane carriage way with a minimum width of 4.6m.

Timber truss road bridges have played a significant role in the expansion and improvement of the NSW road network. Prior to the bridges being built, river crossings were often dangerous in times of rain, which caused bulk freight movement to be prohibitively expensive for most agricultural and mining produce. Only the high priced wool clip of the time was able to carry the costs and inconvenience imposed by the generally inadequate river crossings that often existed prior to the trusses construction.

Timber truss bridges were preferred by the Public Works Department from the mid 19th to the early 20th century because they were relatively cheap to construct, and used mostly local materials. The financially troubled governments of the day applied pressure to the Public Works Department to produce as much road and bridge work for as little cost as possible, using local materials. This condition effectively prohibited the use of iron and steel, as these, prior to the construction of the steel works at Newcastle in the early 20th century, had to be imported from England.

Ernest DeBurgh, the designer of DeBurgh truss and other bridges, was a leading engineer with the Public Works Department, and a prominent figure in early 20th century NSW.

Timber truss bridges, and timber bridges generally were so common that NSW was known to travellers as the "timber bridge state".

Situated in the Kyogle region, the Clarence River bridge has been an essential crossing of the river for over 90 years. The transport intensive logging industry has relied heavily on the bridge since its construction for its continued economic survival. Before the construction of the bridge, a river ford was in place, which in the wet season frequently became a major obstacle to traffic.