Asingle wind turbine was bathed in blue light last week near Lake Bonney in a moving silent tribute to suicide awareness and mental health.

Vestas service technician John Hutchinson used a special filter to illuminate the Canunda Wind Farm structure, with a group of invited guests on hand to witness the event.

“I got the idea from the Lady Nelson in Mount Gambier … and we used a special filter to illuminate the turbine,” he said.

“Everyone’s mental health has taken a hit over the last two years, the whole idea started from the blue tree project,” he said.

“We have got a blue tree onsite, when I have been travelling there were the odd blue trees standing out in the middle of nowhere and I thought I’d bring the idea back to our farm.

“People always ask what the idea is behind the blue tree, it’s a bit of talking point.

“The whole idea is as you drive in each morning you check in with yourself.

“We have a lot of contractors come onsite and even the public when they visit, the first thing they notice is the blue tree and it starts the conversation.

“We thought we’d do that on a bigger scale with a blue turbine.”

Mr Hutchison, who has been a service technician for 15 years with Vestas, said it was an imposing sight.

“My initial thought was to have one turbine blue among 130 turbines, to have one standing out, a bit like mental health because people do not see it all being the same,” he said.

“Often you do not notice if someone needs to be helped out.

“It’s good to bring the topic up, this time of life it’s good to talk about stuff and get things off your chest, it’s about being a conversation starter.”

Mr Hutchinson said he and fellow technician Adam Coombe were hoping later down the track to illuminate some other structures around the area to continue the conversation regarding suicide awareness and mental health.

“We want to get people asking why is that thing blue, spark those kinds of conversations,” he said.

“It was quite amazing as the sun dropped and the blue light took hold.”