The Clarence River is situated in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. The river originates on the watershed that marks the Queensland border. After flowing south and northeast for 394 km it then empties into the Pacific Ocean at Yamba/Iluka. On its journey it passes through the towns of Grafton, Ulmarra, Cowper/Brushgrove, Maclean and Harwood. Its chief tributaries are the Mann River, Nymboida River, and Orara River.

The river features many large river islands, including Woodford Island, Chatsworth Island, and Harwood Island. The river supports a large prawn trawling and fishing industry.

Of particular interest is the small island town of Harwood, where a Sperry New Holland factory and a quaint Bush Pub overlook the Clarence Delta. Harwood is just after the Yamba Bridge on part of Australia's National Highway from Sydney, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour to Brisbane.

The Clarence River system is an extensive East Coast drainage with many tributaries of differing size. By Australian standards the Clarence River and its major tributaries the Mann and Nymboida Rivers are extremely large rivers with extremely large flow volumes.

The freshwater reaches of the Clarence River support important populations of native freshwater fish including Eastern freshwater cod, an endangered fish species unique to the Clarence River system, and Australian bass.

The lower half of the river valley is part of the Local Government Area of the Clarence Valley.

The Aboriginal people of the lower reaches call the river there Breimba or Berrinbah.

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