The Dirranbandi Showgrounds was pounding with diesel fumes and revs from 112 ute enthusiasts who gathered behind the Dirran's doing it for your mates ute muster, last Saturday.
The idea of the event came from Dirranbandi local contract harvester Mitch Smart who had just turned 18. Mitch had lost eight of his mates to suicide over the past three years.
Mitch told his mother, Carrie Smart, he didn't want an 18th birthday party, but instead, he wanted to raise money for teenage suicide and mental health.
- See the photos: Dirranbandi Ute Muster draws a large crowd
Mrs Smart, whose three children Alana aged 25, Mitch aged 18 and Tub, 17, said they really struggled with the loss of their mates, which was the driving force of the event.
"It is really hard on them, my daughter will talk about it, but the boys don't," she said.
The mates Mitch lost were in the Gundagai and Adelong districts of southern NSW, before the family moved to Dirranbandi to work for Cubbie Station as contract harvesters, some 18 month ago.
Founder of Are You Bogged Mate? Mary O'Brien said the event was important as it brought awareness to the issue.
"These mates need to talk about the issues they have in their bucket," Ms O'Brien said.
"Everyone has an emotional bucket with big and small things getting dumped into it every day, and you do have to empty it at some point."
Ms O'Brien said when she visited Dirranbandi last November, she was touched by Mitch's story, and was very happy to lend her support.
Mitch said all the mates he had lost were those he had played football with... "and I didn't know they were struggling".
"They all had good lives, good jobs and plenty to live for," Mitch said.
Overall, the event raised $9000 through the gate, plus bar and merchandise sales, which are still to be finalised.
Funds will be donated between the Dirranbandi Local Ambulance Committee, and ALIVE, a community-driven organisation of people and partners committed to end youth suicide.