Australasian Touring Caravan, Motorhome & Camping Club, Inc.

DENILIQUIN  NATIONAL  GET-TOGETHER - March 16-23    2010

TUESDAY     A total of 42 member units attended the get-together at Deniliquin and no time was wasted in catching up with old friends.  At Happy Hour the President welcomed everyone, visitors and first-time attendees especially.   An information speaker from the  Peppin Heritage Centre (Denise) came along and gave a very interesting talk on local history, places of interest etc.  After which the club put on a welcome sausage sizzle - it was all very relaxing. 

WEDNESDAY     After morning tea, we tagged-along out of the township to the Charlie Carp Fertilizer factory and were given a tour of the processing plant and a sample bottle of the product each.  It was amazing to see the huge size of the carp which are frozen until the time of processing.  Many questions were asked and the factory manager was very helpful. 

Being a free afternoon and another beautiful hot day, many took advantage of the great pool at the park, whilst some went fishing at the Edward River and lots of ladies did an initial investigation of the shops and guess what they discovered - that Millers had a clearance centre in the town as well as the regular shop.  What a find!  Our club was well represented there over the next few days.    At Happy Hour, the Park Managers, Andrew and Shelley put on a barbeque dinner for us as well of lots of lovely salads and potatoes.  Later in the evening we were entertained by a local gentleman called Alec Allitt aged 81 who still works a farm outside the town with his wife.  He is a bush poet and travels all over the place to the bush folk festivals.

We heard classic Australian yarns, skits on caravanners and bush poetry.  We enjoyed all the jokes and had a good laugh.

THURSDAY   this was our coach tour day.  We strolled to the Heritage Centre (incorporating the Visitor Centre) This was once the Deniliquin Public School - a classroom has been left intact with all its furniture, books, bags, etc.  The centre was renamed the Peppin Heritage Centre in honour of the Peppin family and the influence they had on the founding of the Australian Merino industry then looked at all the displays, early settlers, historical documents, photographs, and the history of stations along the Edward River - and especially the ‘Struggle for Water' exhibition.  In the grounds of the centre was an original ram shed with cane grass roofing, the legend of the ‘Headless Horseman', the ‘Wanganella Gaol.  We gathered in the central room of the building for an information talk by Denise  and she encouraged us to look at a large exhibition on display of a local artist, fascinating and unusual.

We had a delicious morning tea at the Crossing Café then waited for our coach to arrive, Denise was our Tour Guide and was very knowledgeable, having run a rice farm in the district for over 30 years.  We saw the ‘Toorak end' of the town with lots of lovely properties on the river front and were shown the famous ‘Deni Ute Muster' grounds before continuing on to Clancy's of Conargo Winery where we had tastings of their various wines.  Lunch was served at the winery and then we were given a talk by the Manager, Bernard Clancy about his extensive collection of international licence plates which filled every wall and the ceilings in the factory, also bottles and glassware.  Some plates are very old, limited editions and are quite valuable. 

Then it was on to ‘East Tolans' Farm which is run by Adam and Pamela Wettenhall.  We firstly saw a very large rice crop which was almost ready to harvest.  The rice crops are planted by aerial sowing and then again aerial crop dusted for pests. In Deniliquin bulk rice and large packs are milled for export markets under the SunRice brand.  According to information supplied, 40 million people around the world eat rice milled at Deniliquin which is a major centre for the Australian rice industry.    Adam and Pamela also run sheep and agroforestry.  We were shown the ‘lambing paddock' and saw many new born lambs and lots of them twins staggering to their feet for the first time, it was a great sight, also we just missed seeing a group of ewes being sheared but were shown through the shed and saw the wool being sorted and baled.  The irrigation system which supplies all the farms is through gravity-fed supply channels.  The region had recently received a substantial rainfall after 7 years of drought and this has made a huge difference to the farmers.  Pam is also a talented artist so then we were taken to their homestead where she works with old barbed wire and makes the most amazing artistic structures which are scattered all around their extensive gardens.  Huge bronzed birds stand guard whilst a group of ducks appear to be coming out of the pond and wire ball baskets are everywhere.   Back to the park in time for Happy Hour.

FRIDAY    The golfers got an early start today.  We were pleased to see the Traveller Editor arrive this morning having flown from Perth to Melbourne on the red-eye then he drove up to Deni.  Free day today and hot again so a lot of time was spent in and around the pool and it was a great central social spot.  The craft ladies were busy in the cooler areas and many people checked out some of the town attractions such as the Waring Gardens, the birdlife at the Island Sanctuary, the Ute on the Pole and the Mosaic-covered Ute and not to mention long lunches at the cafes and clubs around the town.  At Happy Hour we were also pleased to welcome a couple who had come for just the weekend.   In the evening a Quiz/Trivia evening which was enjoyed by all judging by the laughter and groaning - good for the brain.

SATURDAY   General Meeting at 10 a.m.   The Traveller Editor outlined plans for the Traveller as the new Editor with much help offered from WA Members at the busy times.  The event organiser for The Shepparton Get-Together ran through the planned itinerary for the Shepparton AGM in October 2010.  This looks like being a full-on; well-organised get-together and they have both put a lot of work in to make it a success.   The Club dinner at the Deni RSL Club was lovely.  The Mountbatten Room was done out very tastefully.  The meal was lovely and afterwards many members stayed on to tinkle the pokies and listen to the band, dance and generally have a good time. 

SUNDAY     We had a Pancake Breakfast with a wonderful selection of fruits, juice, cream, jams, syrups etc. The President  said that as the men had cooked the BBQ on the first night that the ladies could take over and they did, churning out pancakes by the dozens and they were delicious.  Teamwork took over and all was cleaned up and sorted out in no time flat.  Thanks to all the volunteers who helped get this event going.  Afterwards, craft tables were set up and items laid out for sale.  In the afternoon there was a disc bowls tournament, what a lot of fun and even first-timers did well. 

Happy Hour was followed by a pizza night and fancy dress (Island style) Maybe some of the photos made it into the Traveller.  We had a ball.   Instead of a raffle, it was decided to wrap the donations up and hold a Mystery Auction with a member as the Auctioneer and his wife helping.  It was a great success and the quality of the prizes was excellent.  Many thanks to all the volunteers involved with the wrapping, recording, monies responsibility etc.  Thanks also go to other members for their help with the monies at the Auction and also for totalling all the receipts for town spending.

MONDAY       Free day, more pool time.  Some went bowling.  Happy Hour was followed by a BYO BBQ and get-together at the camp kitchen.   In the evening, card games were held.  Many people are leaving in the morning.

TUESDAY  Free day if staying.     Bare foot bowls night was a great success with 27 members playing and being supported by the rest.  The RSL put on a spread that only country folk can do, a Barbeque with a table full of salads and it was a meal to remember.  After our meal we were put into playing teams and we all enjoyed 16 ends of bowls.  After the game had finished, we made our way back upstairs where a nice supper awaited us.  The winning team for the bowls was led by a Western Australian Member and a presentation of a mug and cloth was given to the winning team.  Before we left a presentation was made to Jock Fisher and to the President and then all members were presented with a wine glass from the President of the Bowls Club.  This was truly a night to remember and it really made us all agree that Deniliquin is really a truly RV friendly town.  Many thanks to Jock Fisher for the organisation of this great night.

As our bumper sticker tells us       ‘DO IT IN DENI'      A great time was had by all.

Money spent in town $30,000 +

Donation to local Hospital.  A cheque was presented to the President and Treasurer of the local Hospital Auxiliary for     $300.00

Donation for RFDS         $300.00

WEDNESDAY   Fond farewells to all until next we meet.