Ms Gillard’s visit, on the eve of the carbon tax legislation being introduced to Parliament yesterday, attracted 400 people and one coal seam gas protester, Upper Hunter resident John Shewan.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said yesterday he was pleased with the success of the visit and thanked the hundreds who turned out to make her so welcome and to raise issues of interest.

“I’ve always appreciated the Prime Minister’s responsiveness when I raise local issues with her,” he said. “Her commitment to the Hunter is demonstrated both by her recent visits here and the huge amounts of money the government has invested here.”

Upper Hunter Shire Council mayor Lee Watts met Ms Gillard.

“I only had a very short time with her but straight away we discussed the need for infrastructure for towns affected by mining industry,” Cr Watts said.

“I invited the Prime Minister to Scone to see our issue with the rail crossing and mentioned we needed to allocate funding now for whatever the RTA solution is.”

Singleton High School’s captains Amelia Tan and Ethan Andrews and vice-captains Josie Shade and Justin Black ran the ceremony and students gave musical performances.

School principal Tony Jarrett opened the ceremony and Wonnarau Aboriginal elder Aunty Barbara Foot gave the welcome to country.

Singleton mayor Sue Moore and Mr Fitzgibbon also spoke.

It was Ms Gillard’s second visit to the Hunter Valley after a whistlestop trip in July at Belford to see rail track construction.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd made a quick visit to turn the first sod on the third rail project.

Before that, a prime minister had not visited Singleton since the early 1980s.