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The country came to town and boy did the town know about it.
Huge crowds swarmed into towns and cities across the South yesterday, united in their support of rural New Zealand.
From Oamaru to Invercargill, convoys of tractors, farm vehicles, trucks and utes joined thousands further north taking part in the Howl of a Protest event, organised by Groundswell New Zealand, protesting against what the rural sector says are unworkable government regulations.
In Dunedin, the first tractor, driven by Jamie Marshall, rolled into the Octagon just after noon, to much cheering from the lunchtime city crowd, and the last vehicle went through about 3.30pm.
Mr Marshall, husband of the protest"s Dunedin organiser Gill Marshall, was thrilled to see the large turnout in support of the protest. People were starting to realise that, without farmers, they would be "pretty hungry", he said.
Mrs Marshall estimated at least 700 tractors and utes had taken part in Dunedin, possibly up to 1000.
Jim Macdonald, who drove his tractor in from his Clarks Junction farm, said the huge turnout was what he had hoped for but did not expect.
He praised Groundswell NZ co-founders Laurie Paterson and Bryce McKenzie for doing a "marvellous job".
Real estate agent Peter Wilson said he turned up to support farmers who were "just getting the raw end of the deal".
There were new rules all the time and businesses were also affected.
"Everyone"s getting so many rules, you can"t keep up."
Despite the many concerns, nobody was listening, and it was like the Government had "earmuffs" on, he said.
Former Invermay director Dr Jock Allison, who spoke at the protest"s finale in Mosgiel, described it as a "magnificent protest".
Around the South they came from all corners, in utes, on tractors and horses, in helicopters and planes, with dogs and a message.
A low-key, no-fuss crowd of more than 1000 people at the movement"s epicentre in Gore filled the A&P showgrounds, where farmers Mr McKenzie, of West Otago, and Mr Paterson, of Waikaka, delivered Groundswell"s "Enough is enough" message outlining the group"s concerns and giving the Government a month to address them, or it would take further action.
Groundswell had "put a stake in the ground and said enough is enough".
They said the support the movement had received across New Zealand was "humbling" and was "quite amazing".
Elsewhere, a parade of more than 350 tractors and utes took more than two hours to get through Balclutha, while in Oamaru a gathering of more than 1000 people and vehicles took a similar time to pass through, though its knock-on effect of slowing traffic on State Highway 1 on both sides of the town took a while longer to recede.
Hundreds of people and vehicles met at the Wanaka Showgrounds, jamming traffic in the area, while people in about 1000 utes, many resplendent with barking dogs, gathered in Alexandra"s Pioneer Park before driving down Centennial Ave.
Tractors became Queenstown"s newest tourist attraction, as about a dozen led the protest through the town"s centre.
Invercargill organiser Bruce Robertson estimated at least 500 people attended there, and 140 utes, 55 tractors, five helicopters and one fixed-wing plane turned out in Te Anau.
While the crowds appeared overwhelmingly in support, there were some with a different view.
In Dunedin, Alenna McLean stood in the middle of the street holding a sign which said "No Farming on a Dead Planet"".
She was approached by a man who grabbed it from her and screwed it up.
Later, Ms McLean said the Government should assist farmers to move to regenerative farming practices.
Agriculture Minister Damien O"Connor said he appreciated farmers" concerns and others raised at the protests.
"But we also need to keep the commitments we have made to make rivers clean and swimmable, address climate change and fix our planning laws.
"As a country we can"t stand still. If we want to make sure our exports continue to fetch a high price and are highly valued, we have to make progress on these challenges that New Zealand and the world faces or our competitors will move ahead of us.
"We are listening and have heard the concerns raised today.""
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has stood firm on the Government"s commitments.
Earlier this week she said she understood the primary sector was facing "significant challenges"", but said delaying reforms of the rural economy would be "more damaging"".
Reducing emissions and cleaning up waterways was important for New Zealand"s brand internationally.
