Just as mystery shrouds the origins of some of the world's most famous standing stones, like Stonehenge in England, there are hopes a similar mystique might one day surround the Celtic monument in the northern NSW town of Glen Innes.
"I'd like to think in another couple of hundred years or so, people will be saying, 'Oh, so what was this all about', which would be lovely," the chair of the Australian Standing Stones Management Committee, Judi Toms, said.
But with the monument turning 30 tomorrow, the origins of the stones perched at 1,100 metres above sea level overlooking the town won't fall out of living memory anytime soon.
And the popularity of the television series Outlander, in which a WWII nurse travels back in time to meet a handsome Scot after touching a standing stone, has added to its tourist appeal.
In 2018, Glen Innes hosted an Outlandish festival, capitalising on the Scottish fervour surrounding the series.
"You could possibly have thought this was a set of Outlander at that weekend; everyone was dressed so appropriately, the energy was just fantastic," Ms Toms said.
And while there were no official reports of anyone disappearing after touching the stones, Ms Toms maintained an air of mystery.
"But there are really people who have that connection with energy lines and do get a sense of life and energy from our stones."
Commemorating Celtic pioneers
The Celtic Council of Australia chose Glen Innes as the home of a National Celtic Monument to pay tribute to Australia's Celtic pioneers.
The first stone was erected in 1991, followed by an additional 36 stones over the following year, all quarried locally.
Several thousand people turned out to witness the raising of the first stone by a local tug-of-war team.
The stone was then blessed by the local Catholic priest.
Items representing various Celtic countries were placed among the foundations — topped off by the contents of a bottle of whisky.
A focal point for tourism
Ms Toms said Glen Innes tourism owed a lot to the establishment of the national Celtic monument.
It plays hosts to many ceremonies throughout the year, including dawn services at the winter and summer solstices, as well as the annual Australian Celtic Festival, which in April this year will celebrate Brittany, Cornwall and Wales.
Glen Innes Council can't put a figure on the monument's value, but says it adds considerably to the $45 million visitors spend annually.
Guardians of the stones
At the 30th birthday celebrations on February 1, four new guardians of the stones will be appointed, bringing the total number to 27. This is a ceremonial position but one which aims to maintain the integrity of the monument.
"It's very important for us to oversee the importance of the stones and make sure it's not encumbered by modern-day things, and the site is actually kept with a sense of protocol and history," stone guardian Raelene Watson said.
