A Day in the Life of Deniliquin began on 9th March 1990 when 36 local photographers and community members took photographs that formed a snapshot of the Deniliquin community over a 24-hour period. On the 9th March 2001, 32 locals continued the project and a selection of 300 images from both years was exhibited.

On 9th March 2011 it rained almost constantly but that didn’t deter 132 people from the Deniliquin, Conargo and Murray Shires, who submitted more than 4,500 images. A selection of images from 1990, 2001 and 2011 was exhibited at the Peppin Heritage Centre, with a selection pasted up on buildings around Deniliquin as ‘street art’.

Ten years later, on Tuesday 9th March 2021, 140 people armed with cameras, smart phones and tablets documented the community, demonstrating the mental health benefits of acknowledging connection with the people, places and activities they love. Funding support from Edward River Council, Create NSW, Deniliquin Business Chamber, Outback Theatre for Young People, South West Arts and Deni RSL helped with an update of the website, the installation of a mural of images in Cressy St Deniliquin and the creation of video interviews with prominent participants and community members.

The result is an insightful photographic snapshot of the Deniliquin region over the past 30+ years. It is easy to see how much has changed, from the outdated fashions to the shops and businesses that have closed, but what is also apparent is how much remains constant, from children still learning and playing at school to the services and volunteers that hold the community together.

The images from 1990, 2001, 2011 and 2021 will be archived with the support of the Deniliquin Historical Society so that on 9th March in 2031, the community can continue to document its contemporary history and carry it forward into the future.