This year’s Deni Ute Muster attracted a record-breaking number of utes, and a standout was a large, bright pink ute owned by former Deniliquin woman Allie Williams.
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It was such a standout, in fact, it garnered the most votes to win the People’s Choice Ute of the Year.
Ms Williams is now based in Hervey Bay, Queensland, and made the trip back with her towering 2023 Chevy Silverado 2500HD.
The fairly new ute, affectionately known as ‘Stella Rose’, already has a deep backstory.
There’s been a few customisations, including the pink paintwork, which Ms Williams said represents her “happy place”.
“It’s called Stella Rose. Stella because it shines like a star, and Rose because its gone from black to pink like a blooming rose.
“I bought it on my 50th birthday, two years ago.
“I picked it up two days before last year's 2024 Ute Muster. Since then, we’ve done 50,000km around Australia.
“We’ve been to Steep Point, the most westerly point in Australia, we’ve been all through the Dampier Peninsula.
“We didn’t think we were going to get here (the 2025 Deni Ute Muster). We had a check engine light all the way from Broome to Cairns.
“We got a tow truck from Cairns to Brisbane, but we got it sorted out.
“The guys at EC Offroad in Brisbane built the truck for me.”
Ms Williams said she was encouraged to enter her ute after receiving feedback last year, but with the trouble recently, she wasn’t sure she’d get it there.
“We had some parts flown from America last Wednesday (September 24), they arrived 4.30pm on the Friday, and it was still in pieces Monday morning (on Muster week).
“We got it back at 9pm Monday night and hit the road straight away, drove through the night to get here and in the Muster lineup by Thursday morning.
“So its been a fair effort to get here from Hervey Bay.”
The pink, heavily modified beauty is decked out with all the bells and whistles, Ms Williams said.
“It’s got a ghost shield paint protection film that can hit up tight tracks without being worried about scratching your duco, and we’ve been down some very tight tracks.
“It's fully optioned out with upgrades, suspension, shocks, springs.
“It's had just about everything you can throw at it; rooftop tent awnings, coffee machine, microwave, induction cooker.
“It's full electric, so no gas, it’s got a fridge and a standalone freezer, and tool storage.
“I work out of it, so I’ve got my business online. It’s got Starlink on the roof, as well as 140 litres of water and 211 litres of diesel.
“It rides like a dream; it’s like sitting in a lounge chair.
“I swapped four walls for four wheels. I’m very grateful and fortunate that I can live on the road, I teach people how to make money on the road.
“People can find me at stella.rose2500 on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or alliemareewilliams.com.”
Having suffered PTSD, Ms Williams now provides free equine mental health support and therapy in Stella Rose.
She said besides looking good, the ute also has a further purpose into the future, helping her provide mental health support around Australia.
“It’s about giving people hope and resilience, having perseverance to never give up.
“I was close to bankrupt when I left here in 2016, but now I’m self-made.
“I spent a long time on worker's comp and income protection insurance, doing it really tough, but I never gave up.
“I want to inspire other women and men that life doesn’t end with mental health battles, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
“She’s going to be a support vehicle next year, and we’re actually training some brumbies (for equine therapy).
Allie, who is a retired firefighter and previously owned the Pretty Pine Hotel, said returning to the Muster also allows her to see her family.
Her sons Mitch and Ryan live in Deniliquin, with their partners Amy Gretgrix and Bella Gow.