More than 1,500 people from around the region visited the White Rock Wind Farm on its Open Day on Saturday, according to the company. But to those who waited for hours in long queues, it felt like more.
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They crowded to Glen Innes railway station from 8am onwards, as a cycle of buses ferried visitors to and from the site.
Hours of suffering in the sun for a 15-minute peak in a cordoned off area of the site did not deter the crowds enthusiastically hoping for a glimpse into the future of renewable energy.
They came to see what all the fuss was about, and they were determined not to be disappointed. They grabbed the opportunity to ask questions about the huge project that is in the final commissioning stage and discussed among themselves what this will mean for their region.
On site, kids counted the bolts around the turbines, took selfies with the towering giants and had group photos snapped for the sake of posterity.
While waiting for the main event, they sat on the lawn enjoying hot dogs and egg and bacon sandwiches while treated to the crooning of local band, The Abbies, who sang everything from Beyonce to Ed Sheeran with a country twang.
Construction on the $450-million project started in May, 2016 and the wind farm is expected to be fully operational by the end of this year.
