When Nick Wright decided to gift the town of Dorrigo a sculpture, he had no idea of the rift it would cause in the town he loves.
"I wanted to give something to the town that would give me a lot of peace and happiness," Mr Wright says, becoming emotional as he recalls the debate.
"And I don't think everyone wanted to accept the gift."
The controversial Water Cloud sculpture has been installed in the main street of the NSW Mid North Coast town after more than eight years of planning.
West Australian sculptor Stuart Green designed the work to reflect the essence of the town that has an average annual rainfall of 2,000 millimetres and is known for its World Heritage-listed national parks, rolling waterfalls and lush dairy pastures.
The aluminium curves form the shape of a never-ending stream of water that lights up as the sun sets.
In 2014 the local council adopted a community public art plan to "enliven" towns across the Bellingen Shire, prompting Mr Wright, 82, a local for 20 years, to donate the $300,000 sculpture as a way of giving back to the community.
"I lived on the northern side of town. Whenever I came in, I'd have to cross the bridge and look at the park down along the bank and thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice to see a sculpture there?'" Mr Wright says.
Polling controversy
But Mr Wright would soon find out how art can divide opinion.
The proposal garnered plenty of debate: from talk in the town to online chatter in community groups.
Local Kerry Miller says the artwork has "ripped the town in half".
"There are people who are disgusted, you've got people on Facebook yelling at each other. The comments are endless," she says.
"Really, more options should have been explored before we made a firm decision.
When Bellingen Shire Council ran a poll during the initial community consultation, nearly 80 per cent of responses were against its installation.
Some of the feedback was that the art would be an "eyesore" and "impractical" for the main strip.
Many residents also said it did not reflect the nature of the town.
But after it was revealed the initial online portal had received responses from people who didn't live in Dorrigo, the council asked Mr Wright to conduct a second survey himself.
That survey returned 177 votes for the artwork and 174 against.
Mayor Steve Allan maintains the work went through extensive processes before final approval.
"It is fair to say with any piece of public art, it would have its opposition, but when you think about it, it really does speak to the beautiful natural attributes that Dorrigo is known for including our beautiful waterfalls," Mr Allan says.
A silver lining
Despite the controversy, some locals believe the sculpture will encourage tourists to stay longer when visiting the town.
Rowan Holden, who has lived in Dorrigo for the past 30 years, was initially hesitant about the work, but says he is "trying to keep an open mind".
"I didn't think it followed the character of the town but we'll see now it's going up, how it looks," he says.
"I'm not sure about the lighting aspect of it."
Sara Hankin, on the other hand, believes the new landmark adds a spark to the town.
Sculptor Stuart Green emphasises the positives.
"I know change is always a bit scary and not everyone is in favour of it, but when you see it in actuality, it is this exciting and different focal point in the centre of town", he said.
The sculpture has been installed this week, and visitors may now make their own judgement.
Mr Wright hopes the town will grow to accept his gift.
"There are some that don't. Some for good reasons and they're entitled to that."
