Celebrating our national vehicle at the Deni Ute Muster
You can’t get much more Aussie than a ute. Celebrate our national vehicle (and a lot more) at this unique festival.
What is it?
Held in the NSW country town of Deniliquen, the Deni Ute Muster began as a standalone event in 1999. The town was suffering from a crippling drought and much of its traditional agricultural income was drying up. Members of the community wanted to plan something special to draw tourists to the town. The festival was designed to celebrate all things Australian, including the iconic ute that is an integral part of regional culture. In the first year, around 2,800 drivers took part. Now, there are almost 10,000 utes on show and 20,000 people come to see them.
What events are there?
There’s a lot more than utes at this two-day festival. A huge line up of Australian artists will be playing on the main stage, including Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts, Shannon Noll, Sunny Cowgirls, Beccy Cole, James Blundell, and Brewn and The Wolfe Brothers. Be entertained by whipcracking, bull riding and wood chopping competitions; off road driving demonstrations and driving competitions; reptile displays; the Brophy Brothers Circus; and miniature pig racing. Try your hand at bubble soccer (where you play with your body inside a big inflatable balloon), play classic games at the carnival, ride a camel and see the country’s most tricked out utes compete for the title of Ute of the Year. Each year there’s an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the most blue singlets in one place – the festival set the record in 2015 with 3,959.
How can I attend?
Tickets for the Deni Ute Muster are $249 per person. Kids under 13 are free with a paying adult. Most people camp on the site – it’s free and there’s a great atmosphere. You can bring a tent, caravan or camper, or just set up your swag in the back of your ute. The campgrounds can get a bit wild, but there is a separate family camping area where things will be quieter. If you’re staying in town there are regular buses to the site. Remember that Deniliquin is a very small town so accommodation options are limited – you’ll need to book well in advance. There’s a good chance it will be wet and the grounds can get very muddy. Gumboots are a good idea.