The viewing platform overlooking Australia’s largest solar plant was not intended to be publicly accessible yet, an AGL spokesperson has said, despite the fact an “official” opening ceremony was held last month.
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Tourists and locals alike have been unable to access the Nyngan Solar Plant’s viewing platform – which was set to become a major tourist attraction for the region – since the June 26 “opening event”.
But AGL has assured the Bogan Shire community the platform will be open to the public as soon as access to the site can be secured.
“AGL is completing several steps that are necessary to ensure safe public access to the facility,” a spokesperson said.
“The “opening event” was a very controlled event with significant personnel presence to ensure safe access and use of the site, ahead of opening the site to general public access without supervision or monitoring.
“AGL apologises for confusion caused by the naming of the “opening event”. It was intended as a preview for the local community. AGL is currently progressing through the legal steps necessary to ensure that the final arrangement allows for safe and secure public access and use of the site.”
Bogan Shire mayor Ray Donald said it was disappointing that the platform – AGL’s legacy to support tourism in the region – was still not open to the public.
“It’s one of our major tourist attractions and our visitor information centre gets a lot of inquiries from visitors wanting to visit the viewing platform,” councillor Donald said.
“It has been promoted as something that would boost interest in Nyngan.
“It’s important that it be opened very soon and I think the implication was that the official opening would start that.”
Cr Donald was among a range of dignitaries and local community members present at the June 26 opening.
Also in attendance was NSW Minister for Resources, Energy and Utilities Don Harwin, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Northern NSW Benjamin Franklin, AGL Renewables Manager Simon Kelley and representatives of First Solar and the Powering Australian Renewables Fund.
They were joined by members of the Nyngan Garden Club and students from Nyngan Public, Nyngan High, St Joseph’s Primary and Hermidale Public.
Those attending were treated to an aboriginal dance performance by children from Nyngan public school and an information session of the solar plant’s new Bush Tucker Garden conducted by the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network’s Robert Riley, who designed the garden to feature edible, native plants sourced from the local region.
“The actual viewing platform has been done very well,” Cr Donald said.
“It has disabled access, it has information boards on top of the platform, it’s placed in a very good position and accompanying that in the Aboriginal circular garden that adds to the attraction,” Cr Donald said.
“The whole project has cost in the vicinity of over a $1 million, so it seems pretty strange to have that investment and not have it available.”
AGL’s spokesperson said the platform was built with the intent to boost tourism, and “once there is a safe system of access for the site, it will perform that function”.
“The ‘opening event’ for the viewing platform was scheduled to allow for the major stakeholders to attend and was organised using a specific set of access controls to ensure safety of those that attended,” they said.
“It was an event to allow the local community to be the first to see the viewing platform and local officials the chance to meet the asset owners/managers in person.
“It is exciting that there is interest in accessing the viewing platform and we are very eager to open the platform to the general public as soon as we can ensure that the site can be accessed and used safely.”
