Another year ended at midnight last night and it is only fitting to write a report on the year that has gone by.
Mother Nature had been a little bit more kinder to us rain wise in 2019 compared to 2018 but she could of given us more rain as totals were still below the yearly average.
Still the town isn’t doing too badly on the water issue as there are no water restrictions unlike places that have run out or are on water restrictions in other areas of NSW and states like QLD.
It is a different story out on the farms as they are still not getting their fair share of water to keep the farms going and they are vital to the nation and its population, several residents joined the convoy to Canberra in December to protest the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
2019 was the year we said goodbye to the Riverview Motel and the North Tennis Courts as they joined the list of buildings or playing fields that are now gone from the landscape.
We’ve also said goodbye to the Island Sanctuary Footbridge on Cressy Street, this move is controversial as many visitors like to take that entrance instead of any of the other access points.
A portion of Napier Street got revamped and that included both road and footpaths and the rebuild divided locals as some love it and some wish the money was spent somewhere else instead of just a small section of a street.
The long covered up Helsby building window work was uncovered again when NAB departed the building revealing its beauty once more.
Red Rose Diner reopened next door to its old location and Cressy Pizza moved down the street after being in its former location for many years.
The Exchange Hotel and the Coach House both got new owners during the year as both businesses have now continued their long existence for another decade.
The Federal Hotel also got a new owner as the former hotel continued to receive damage from vandals who disrespect empty property and making restoration harder to complete.
It was a good year of sport for Deniliquin as the Rovers had a busy finals campaign, the Rams overall had a good season, the Drovers and Wanderers made Grand Finals in Rugby Union and Soccer and the Rhinos had a good 2019 on the cricket field as they strive for 2020 glory.
Trains have stopped coming regularly into town for several decades now but the Historical Society dusted off recovered parts of the long demolished station to give visitors a partial but informative look at how the station used to be.
2019 saw the town have its hottest December day since December 31st 2005 when it 46.5 degrees on December 20, the previous record was 44.8 degrees.
The town was served every second year of the year by the Naponda Farmers Market and the Lions Market at Waring Gardens with both having large attendances with Naponda on the second and the Lions Market on the fourth week of the month.
The Ute Muster came and went and it was a dry Ute Muster as no rain came down to make it a Woodstock like event though the crowds did not mind as there was plenty of fun and music for all.
Halloween was celebrated at Waring Gardens as well as participating shops and it also brought awareness to mental health as well, a win-win for everybody and it looks like this event will continue for some time to come.
Purtills sold their bus company to Dysons and went out with a bang, not with an explosion of buses but instead fireworks lit up Hardinge Street Oval.
Christmas was celebrated at Waring Gardens with the Christmas Party followed up by Carols by Candlelight, this event is getting popular by the year.
So that’s a small sample of the year that was 2019, what will 2020 bring? stay tuned.
