Deniliquin via Ute

Friday sunset in the dust

How better to spend a long weekend than to roll the swag, fill the back of the ute with things that may come in handy and roll down south to the 2006 Deniliquin Ute muster. (Before I get on with the story, for all international readers a ute is basically a sedan based pick-up, but the term gets carried from every thing with a rear tray, bed, or bin, big or small. If a owner calls his truck a ute, thats fine). Deni(liquin) is located down toward the NSW Victorian border and is about a 6 hour drive for us. The yellow HQ never missed a tick and seemed to enjoy the warmer weather.
The muster this year attracted about 6200 utes (officially counted) and there was probably another 2000 parked in the (not-counted) family camping area. HD & I picked a nice grassy camp site on the eastern boundary of the masses and watched them roll in. By mid-Friday afternoon the dust was laying thick and everybody was out for a wander and a yarn.

Winning Ute for 2006. FC Holden sedan/ ute hybrid. (Not a circlework hack)

Evening entertainment on the stage was a fairly good line up. Enjoyed James Reyne, Daddy Cool, the Flood and the Sunny Cowgirls. Between the big screens and stage, we caught most of the action. Ben Dark was welcomed warmly with everyone remembering his Bundy Rum antics from last year.
The muster runs a bull ride, tractor pull, mower racing and ute displays so you just take your time and find a seat when your legs get tired.

Dancin' in the dust, but keeping fairly shiny at the same time

Traditional muster line-up. A bit of the everything

What surprises me from year to year is the muster is such a cruisey, laid back weekend. You can stop and have a yarn with anybody and everybody, I havent seen any agro or in-your-face egos. You make the weekend what you want. We spent a bit of time wandering the rows of utes and camps, time in the entertainment arena or time just kicking back with the boots off back at our camp. Saturday evening across the site was bizare with thick dust and the smoke of 1000+ campsites hanging in the air. Occasional flares and fireworks and keybangers going off well into the night. Sunday morning we packed up and headed into town and watched the endless convoy pass on by. Downtown Deni was deserted by 2.00 in the arvo with nearly all Mustergoers outta there. Yep', It's a HQ ute.... plus a bit

Everybody recons we are a bit crazy to head such a long way for a ute muster, but all in all it is a good time and so much different to what we would usually spend our time on. Next year we will be lining a few friends up to come along and get them out of their comfort zone for a little fun. Home away from home standing out with the yellow