Deniliquin, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Deniliquin
state = nsw


caption = Deniliquin town centre
lga = Deniliquin Council
county = Townsend
postcode = 2710
pop = 7,431
est =
elevation= 93.0
maxtemp = 23.5
mintemp = 9.2
rainfall = 405.7
stategov = Murray-Darling
fedgov = Division of Farrer
dist1 = 724
location1=Sydney
dist2 = 284
location2=Melbourne
dist3 = 138
location3=Shepparton (Vic.)
dist4 = 184
location4=Bendigo (Vic.)
dist5 = 234
location5=Griffith

Deniliquin, known locally as "Deni", is a town and Local Government Area (see Deniliquin Council) in the Riverina region of New South Wales close to the border with Victoria.

Deniliquin is located at the intersection of the Riverina and Cobb Highway approximately 725 kilometres south west of the state capital, Sydney and 285 kilometres north of Melbourne. The town is divided in two parts by the Edward River, an anabranch of the Murray River, with the main business district located on the south bank.

The town services a productive agricultural district with prominent rice, wool and timber industries. At the 2006 census, Deniliquin had a population of 7,431.Census 2006 AUS
id=UCL126800
name=Deniliquin (Urban Centre/Locality)
accessdate=2007-11-25
quick=on]

History

Prior to European settlement, The aboriginal inhabitants of the Deniliquin area were the Barapa Baraba people.cite web
url = http://walkabout.com.au/locations/NSWDeniliquin.shtml
title = Walkabout Australian Travel Guide - Deniliquin
publisher = Fairfax
accessdate = 2007-02-04] In 1843 the entrepreneur and speculator Benjamin Boyd acquired land in the vicinity of present-day Deniliquin (probably via his agent Augustus Morris). The location was known as The Sandhills, but Boyd (or Morris) named it Deniliquin after 'Denilakoon', a local Aborigine famed for his wrestling prowess. [Reed, A. W., "Place-names of New South Wales: Their Origins and Meanings", (Reed: 1969).] An inn and a punt were established on the site in the period 1845-47 and the town site surveyed in 1848 and gazetted in 1850. Deniliquin Post Office opened on 1 January 1850. Citation
last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country= | accessdate = 2008-04-11 ]

As Deniliquin was established on the convergence of major stock routes between the colonies of Queensland, New South Wales and the Victorian gold rush centres of Victoria, it soon became an important river crossing and the first bridge was built over the Edward River in 1861. A private railway was constructed in 1879 to connect with Moama, across the Murray River from the busy river port of Echuca, connected by rail to Melbourne.

Wool growing quickly became a major industry and the area around Deniliquin was home to several Merino studs. In 1861, George Hall Peppin and his two sons, experienced English sheep breeders, established a Merino stud at Wanganella station, north of Deniliquin. There, the brothers developed the Peppin Merino, able to thrive in drier inland regions. Today, as many as 70 percent of Merinos in Australia are said to be directly descended from these sheep.cite web
url = http://www.merinos.com.au/history/index.asp
title = Merino Sheep in Australia
publisher = The Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders Limited
accessdate = 2007-02-04]

In the 1860s, Deniliquin was the centre of a short-lived campaign by wealthy pastoralists including Peppin, George Desailly, Robert Landale and William Brodribb for secession from New South Wales and the creation of a new Riverina colony. This campaign was supported by David Jones, the editor of the local newspaper the "Pastoral Times".cite web
last = Hogg
first = Robert
year = 2004
url = http://www.api-network.com/cgi-bin/reviews/jrbview.cgi?n=1740970233&issue=44
title =jas review: Leighton Frappell, Lords of the Saltbush Plains: Frontier Squatters and the Pastoral Independence Movement 1865-1866
work = API Review of Books
publisher = Curtin University of Technology
accessdate = 2007-02-04] cite web
url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A050477b.htm
title = Peppin, George Hall (1800 - 1872)
work = Australian Dictionary of Biography
publisher = Australian National University
accessdate = 2007-02-04]

On 19 December 1868, Deniliquin was constituted as The Municipality of Deniliquin, and the first Municipal Election was held on 23 February 1869. In 1993 the enactment of the Local Government Act (NSW) saw the name of the council changed from the Municipality of Deniliquin to the Deniliquin Council.cite web
url = http://www.deniliquin.nsw.gov.au/council.html
title = About Deniliquin Council
publisher = Deniliquin Council
accessdate = 2007-05-17 ]

Large-scale irrigation schemes came to the Deniliquin area with the establishment of the Deniboota and Denimein Irrigation Districts in 1938 and the Berriquin Irrigation District in 1939, using water diverted from the Murray River at Lake Mulwala through the Mulwala Canal. An ample and reliable water supply lead to the development of water intensive industries such as rice growing.cite web
last = Meyer
first = Wayne
year = 2005
url = http://www.clw.csiro.au/publications/consultancy/2005/irrigation-industry-murray-CRCIF.pdf
title = The Irrigation Industry in the Murray and Murrumbidgee Basins
format = PDF
work = CRC for Irrigation Futures Technical Report No. 03/05
publisher = CRC for Irrigation Futures
accessdate = 2007-02-04]

In April 2006 the Herald Sun reported on their front cover that the Edward River was dry, with an accompanying photograph showing a dry creek.cite web
url = http://www.countrynews.com.au/story.asp?TakeNo=200704307999139
title = Country News
publisher = McPherson Media
accessdate = 2007-05-17 ] This was later revealed to be erroneous; the photograph was of an unknown channel on a farm within 60km of Deniliquin, while the Edward River is in fact still running. Deniliquin Council and members of the Deniliquin community have since attempted to rectify the damage to local tourism by improving the profile of Deniliquin in various media outlets.cite web
url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200705/1911314.htm?goulburnmurray
title = Deniliquin tries to counteract photo bungle
publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
accessdate = 2007-05-17 ]

Industry

Deniliquin is a service centre for the surrounding agricultural region. The region includes both dryland and irrigated areas. The dryland areas support grazing, in particular beef cattle and wool growing. Deniliquin is home to many famous Merino studs and the saltbush plains produce quality medium class wool.

The irrigated areas produce a range of high yield crops. Rice is the major crop and the largest rice mill in the southern hemisphere is in Deniliquin, producing large packs and bulk rice for export markets.cite web
url = http://www.sunrice.com.au/careers/deniliquin.asp
title = SuRice Deniliquin
publisher = Ricegrowers Limited
accessdate = 2007-02-04]

Deniliquin is also the headquarters of Murray Irrigation Limited, an irrigator owned private company and one of the largest privately-owned irrigation supply companies in the world. Murray Irrigation manages the operations of the Berriquin, Deniboota, Denimein and Wakool Irrigation Areas in the Murray Valley. These areas produce 50% of Australia’s rice crop, 20% of NSW milk production, 75% of NSW processing tomatoes and 40% of NSW potatoes.cite web
url = http://www.murrayirrigation.com.au/files/3247805.pdf
title = Taking up the challenge ~ Responsible irrigation management
format = PDF
publisher = Murray Irrigation Limited
accessdate = 2007-02-04]

Sawmills in the area process timber harvested from the River red gum forests lining the Edward and Murray floodplains.cite web
url = http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/bush-telegraph-magazine/spring-2006/managing-murrays-mighty-river
title = Managing Murray's mighty river red gums
work = Bush Telegraph Magazine
publisher = New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
accessdate = 2007-02-04]

As the largest town in the south western Riverina, there is a range of government and commercial services to residents of the town and the surrounding area.

Notable Residents

Notable people from the Deniliquin area include:
*Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
*Sydney Swans Australian rules footballer Leo Barry
*Melbourne Cup winning Jockey Roy Higgins
*Test and one day cricketer and AFL Player Simon O'Donnell
*Test and one day cricketer wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist

Education

Deniliquin is well serviced by the education sector. The town has 3 public primary schools (Deniliquin South P.S, Deniliquin North P.S, Edward P.S), 1 Catholic primary school (St Michael's P.S), 1 public high school (Deniliquin H.S) and 1 independent K-10 school (Deniliquin Christian School)

It has a TAFE NSW Campus, which is part of the Riverina Institute of TAFE. [ [http://www.rit.tafensw.edu.au/deniliquin/default.asp TAFE NSW, Deniliquin Campus] ]

Deniliquin is also the base for the NSW Department of Education South West Riverina regional office.

port

Sport is an important part of the culture of Deniliquin. The town is famous for the sportspeople raised in the area. Notable sporting clubs in the area include:

Australian Rules Football
* Deniliquin Rams Football Club, competing in the Murray Football League
* Deniliquin Rovers Football Club competing in the Picola & District Football League.

Rugby Union Football
* [http://www.deniliquin.rugbynet.com.au/ Deniliquin Drovers] , competing in the [http://www.vicrugby.com.au/ Victorian Rugby Union Country Division]

Play on the Plains Festival

Labour Day long weekend which includes the famous 'Deniliquin Ute Muster'cite web
url = http://www.deniutemuster.com.au/
title = Deniliquin Ute Muster Play On The Plains Festival
publisher = Deni-Play on the Plains Festival Inc
accessdate = 2007-03-30]

The Play On The Plains Festival has set the following world records:cite web
url = http://www.deniutemuster.com.au/
title = Deniliquin Ute Muster Play On The Plains Festival
publisher = Deni-Play on the Plains Festival Inc
accessdate = 2007-05-17]
*World Record Ute Count
**1999 - 2839 utes in one location
**2000 - 2990 utes in one location
**2001 - 3012 utes in one location
**2002 - 3070 utes in one location
**2003 - 3418 utes in one location
**2004 - 4012 utes in one location
**2005 - 6172 utes in one location
**2006 - 6211 utes in one location
*World Record Blue Singlet Count
**2004 - 1328 people wearing blue singlets
**2005 - 1474 people wearing blue singlets
**2006 - 1566 people wearing blue singlets

Music

Deniliquin has many local bands, and attempts have been made to encourage other bands to come to Deniliquin to perform, with varying success.

Deniliquin is home to one of the two official Australian branches of the Metallica fan club, known as For Whom Metallica Tolls.

Deniliquin is also the home of the website Heavy Metal Nation, a place for people to contribute their own opinions on music from the heavier side, including punk, heavy metal, hardcore, emo, rock, goth, death metal, and everything else that fits into that genre. Heavy Metal Nation is responsible for organising Night Of Darkness, a festival of heavy metal music.

Music Festivals

Deniliquin has been home to many music festivals. Of particular note are the following:

The Flat Earth Festival. The Flat Earth Festival was organised by a youth committee under the auspices of South West Music, beginning in 1999 and running until 2003. The aim of the Flat Earth Festival (so named because Deniliquin is on the Hay Plains, the area with the smallest deviation of elevation on Earth) cite web
url = http://www.visithay.com.au/snapshot.html
title = Visit Hay - Real People, Real Experiences
publisher = Hay Tourism & Development Inc.
accessdate = 2007-04-01] was to provide a music festival accompanied by other activities (such as motorcross demonstrations) in a drug- and alcohol-free environment.cite web
url = http://www.mca.org.au/index.php?id=138
title = The Music Council Of Australia: Way Out West
publisher = The Music Council Of Australia
accessdate = 2007-04-01] The Flat Earth Festival youth committee failed to attract new members as previous members moved on, and the event recessed.

Notable bands attending the Flat Earth Festival included Grinspoon and Sunk Loto.

Shakedown Festival. The Shakedown Festival involves live bands and DJs. It is organised by the Deniliquin Youth Council, a sub-committee of Deniliquin Municipal Council,cite web
url = http://www.deniliquin.nsw.gov.au/events/pages/5554.html
title = What's On In Deniliquin
publisher = Deniliquin Municipal Council
accessdate = 2007-04-01 ] and is held during National Youth Week, on the 14th April 2007.cite web
url = http://www.youthweek.com/
title = National Youth Week 2007
publisher = Australian Government Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
accessdate = 2007-04-01 ] Notable acts appearing at Shakedown include Behind Crimson Eyes, Andy Van and DJLX.

Spring Blues Festival. The Spring Blues Festival had its inaugural year in 2006. The aim of the festival is to expose Deniliquin residents to the talented Blues musicians performing in Australia, as well as providing music workshops and improptu jam sessions. Notable acts appearing at The Spring Blues Festival include The Dutch Tilders and Jeff Lang.cite web
url = http://www.denispringblues.com/
title = Deniliquin Spring Blues Festival
publisher = Deniliquin Spring Blues Festival
accessdate = 2007-04-02 ]

Night Of Darkness. The Night Of Darkness (NOD) Festival is a recurring (three to four times per year) concert event involving Heavy Metal, Hardcore and Rock bands. Night Of Darkness aims to meet three principles with each event. The first principle is to provide an opportunity for teenagers, young adults, and other fans an opportunity to see these types of bands without needing to travel. The second principle is that this occurs in an alcohol and drug free environment. The third principle is that local bands are given an opportunity to gain experience performing alongside bigger bands from outside the local region.

Notable bands that have appeared at Night Of Darkness include Truth Corroded, Double Dragon, Black Like Vengeance, and Uncaged.cite web
url = http://www.myspace.com/nightofdarkness1
title = Night Of Darkness
publisher = Night Of Darkness Inc
accessdate = 2007-04-02 ]

External links

* [http://www.deniliquin.nsw.gov.au/ Deniliquin Council]
* [http://www.denitourism.com.au/visitor.html Deniliquin Visitor Information Centre]
* [http://plainstalking.deni.net.au/ Plains Talking - celebrating the natural history of Deniliquin]
* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an13099424 Series of Images of Deniliquin, New South Wales, 1994] - National Library of Australia
* [http://www.deniutemuster.com.au/ Deniliquin Play On The Plain Festival]

References