{"id":114,"date":"2011-01-02T16:31:38","date_gmt":"2011-01-02T21:31:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnhocking.net\/wordpressdemo\/?page_id=114"},"modified":"2011-01-02T16:31:38","modified_gmt":"2011-01-02T21:31:38","slug":"the-australian-ute","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/johnhocking.net\/jg2025demo1\/977-2\/the-bachelor-and-spinster-ball\/the-australian-ute\/","title":{"rendered":"The Australian Ute"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I wrote my first Australian novel, an English friend asked me what I meant by a ‘ute’. I was shocked. Utes are such an intrinsic part of life in Australia – particularly in the bush, that it never occurred to me that anyone would not know what a ute was.<\/p>\n

\"Ford
A classic Ford ute<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ute stands for utility – a utility vehicle and I doubt there’s a rural property anywhere in Australia that doesn’t have at least one… or possibly more than one.

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\"A
A Dodge ute at the Jondaryan Woolshed, QLD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Classic utes are generally white, and smaller than what the American’s call a ‘truck’. They go on forever – and it’s not at all uncommon to find a very old ute still in everyday use.

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\"Ute
Ute + Dog = Australian icon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I think I drove my first ute when I was about 13. (On a sheep farm, of course. Not on a public road – that would have been illegal.) Utes are what all young men, and quite a few young women, drive in the bush – often with a working dog in the back.

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Cars are a status symbol everywhere – and the Australian bush is no exception. Sometimes a ute becomes more than just a workhorse. This is where ute shows come into the picture. Often held with Bachelor and Spinster Balls, the shows give proud ute owners a chance to show off their prized possessions and compete for coveted trophies.<\/p>\n

\"Ute
The Ute Line, at the 2009 Pittsworth Show, QLD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not every ute is polished and perfect… take for example the feral ute…<\/p>\n

\"Feral
A Feral Ute at the 2009 Pittsworth Show<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

… which must be covered with stickers from as many B&S balls as possible.<\/p>\n

\"Chick's
A Chick's Ute at the 2009 Pittsworth Show<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is the chick’s ute class…

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\"Town
A Town Ute at the 2009 Pittsworth Show<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

…and competitions for big shiny new utes.

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The important thing about utes is that they never die. They just sit in a shed…<\/p>\n

\"…and wait for someone to come along and love them.<\/p>\n

\"Dalgety
The Dalgety Garage Ute, Dalgety, NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n