Rowdy ute muster bucks 'feral' reputation

For kilometres around, across paddocks and into town, the roar of V8 engines, country music and Jim Beam-fuelled revelry signals the return of the Deni Ute Muster after a three-year hiatus.

Grass has grown over the usually dusty campground and a dedicated muster museum has sprung up during the pandemic-enforced break. But despite the changes, Deni's outlaw spirit lives on.

This is professional whip-cracker Mark Williscroft's eighth muster, but the first with his two-year-old son Logan.

"He's loving it," he told AAP after competing in the barrel race.

"He loves walking through the feral section, revving my car and all that."

Matching mullets flowing in the breeze, Logan is in his element sitting on dad's lap behind the wheel of their sticker-covered VR Commodore.

In the "feral section", flames spew from beaten-up paddock bashers and singlet-clad men scull beer by the hose-full in a scene reminiscent of Mad Max.

"The muster's something that once it gets in your blood, it never leaves," said Kate Pitt, an original organiser of the event.

"There's nothing like being out here."

Despite Deniliquin's modest population of 8000, the festival has attracted big-name acts including Jessica Mauboy, Shannon Noll and American country music legend Brad Paisley.

The return of fan favourite activities, such as whip-cracking, rodeo and best ute competitions, is a welcome sight for the 20,000 attendees.

"COVID has hurt our event community," Ms Pitt told AAP.

"It's left a hole in our hearts because we all look forward to the event. The whole region does."

The event has been wildly popular since its inception in 1999, when convoys of utes descended on Deniliquin like pilgrims travelling to the holy land.

"Even back then we had people driving their utes from every corner of Australia - it was truly magical," Ms Pitt said.

"I can recall on the Friday night, it was just a sea of headlights on every road into Deni."

Despite its reputation as a wild, petrol-soaked piss-up, the muster has matured alongside its patrons and now reserves the majority of camping space for families.

Ms Pitt stresses Deni is much more than just a blokes' weekend with as many women attending as men.

Although she is no longer running the site, Ms Pitt still volunteers every year alongside the 80 per cent of Deniliquin locals who get involved.

General manager Vicky Lowry says the muster's absence has been a huge loss for the local community, which relies heavily on the financial and social boost it brings.

The two-day event injects $10 million into the region and provides a vital fundraising opportunity for groups like the local high school.

"In 2019, our last event, they raised enough money to put their whole year 10 through driver ed, so it has had a big impact on the community not having the event go ahead," Ms Lowry told AAP.

Border closures made it impossible for many regional Australians to stay connected, meaning this year's event is the first time Dave Pearce has seen some of his mates in years.

"I've made a hell of a lot of friends down here," he said. "People that I met 15 years ago, we're still mates and we come every year ... That's our time to catch up and run amok."

Mr Pearce has made the eight-hour drive from Sydney to Deniliquin in his blue VU Commodore every year since 2008.

The 48-year-old South Coast native no longer participates in the circle work competition but still takes in the thrills from the sidelines.

"I mean people jump out of perfectly good aeroplanes for a rush - we decide to go round in circles and cut hoops," he said.

"It's just an adrenaline rush - it really is."

Australian Associated Press