Things are looking up in Lawson at last.
With four new shops already open and another two awaiting council approval, the Mid Mountains shopping centre, which was demolished to accommodate the widened highway, is coming back.
And in a reminder of what was sacrificed to install the four-lane highway, a little piece of the magnificent old angophora which used to tower over Bullaburra has been milled and polished and now features as a table in the new bottle shop.
Cellarbrations owner Dan Mackie, who grew up in Bullaburra, said he wanted the old tree to retain some connection with the Mid Mountains. He mills timber as a hobby so when the tree came down, he grabbed as much timber as he could.
He had hoped council might take some of the pieces to use as park benches.
"But when it came time, and I could say you just need to cure it for 18 months and then you can build with it, they never returned phone calls."
Instead, some of the wood has gone into local homes, for tables or other pieces of furniture. The slab in the bottle shop is used as a table for wine tastings and is a talking point for many of his local customers, Mr Mackie said.
Business has been slow but steady but Mr Mackie is confident about the future. "When there are more reasons for people to come, it will pick up."
Next door, the new kebab shop is also doing a regular trade, said owner Sezer Tasuzas, who works with his father and brother in the family-run business.
Around the back, Liz Brouwer and her partner, Brendon Cannon, are filling a gap in the market. With no florist between Springwood and Wentworth Falls, they have set up Botanical Art, selling small gifts as well as fresh flowers.
They are currently in a temporary shop but hope to move to their permanent destination soon.
Further along the back, Tom Charuk's new cafe, Cortado, is pulling in the crowds. Mr Charuk, from Wentworth Falls, has worked in the coffee-making industry for 15 years.
"I thought it was about time to go out on my own. It's going really well. I've had great local support, especially from the schools and businesses."
Beside Cortado, at Tailor Made Hair, manager Emma Grenfell is delighted to finally have a neighbour. She has been the sole shop along the strip for several years.
"We were on the highway. I went mobile for six months [after the shops were demolished] and we've been in the new shop for four years. It's definitely back to life now and it's about time!"