Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Childcare and Early Childhood Learning) Share this | Hansard source

After such a welcome week to the 43rd Parliament, I wish to invite members, senators and indeed all listening to this broadcast to join the warm and cosy crowd down the road this weekend at the annual Deniliquin ute muster. Located in my electorate of Farrer, this wonderful country shindig dates back to 1999, when Deniliquin wrote itself into history by claiming the Guinness Book of World Records title for the largest parade of legally registered utes in the world.

In March of that year, a small group of community minded people got together with the aim of starting a rural theme festival to bring visitors to Deniliquin—our beautiful, vibrant, town on the edge of the New South Wales outback. Many suggestions were raised and discussions centred on the shape and genre of the new festival. It was unanimously agreed that it must showcase the pride of our unique Deniliquin way of life. Hence the Deni Play on the Plains Festival was conceived, a festival to be held on the flattest natural open plains on earth. Youth culture, an intrinsic part of Deniliquin, would play a major part in the festival. Hence the Deni world record ute muster burst into the national psyche. An amazing 2,839 drivers took part, clearly establishing Deniliquin as the ute capital of the world. A new world record bid has since been held as part of the annual Play on the Plains Festival each October New South Wales Labour Day long weekend.

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