For many grey nomads, visiting long-established agricultural shows in small towns across rural Australia is part of the magic and charm of the Big Lap. It’s a chance to meet local characters and to enjoy seeing country communities in festive mood … but times they are a-changin’.
Despite the enthusiasm of countless volunteers and histories sometimes stretching back to the 19th century, question marks are hovering over some annual gatherings.
Even in larger towns, uncertainty is swirling around. The Royal Launceston Show has just closed its gates for the 144th time, and there are growing fears that it has done so for the last time.
Before this year’s event, which opened on Thursday and closed yesterday, the Royal Launceston Show Society warned its viability was very much on the line.
As well as rising costs, the problem is dwindling crowd numbers with just 9,000 visitors last year compared to 30,000 a few decades ago.
To compound the problem, the show will lose its venue at Inveresk when the University of Tasmania moves its campus there next year.
Show society president Jock Gibson told the ABC that it would be a great loss to the community if the show did not continue.
“The repercussions of losing the local show is going to be huge throughout the local area, even for the other country shows — they’re all going to suffer if we don’t survive,” he said. “I mean, if people don’t come in the gate then we won’t be having a show next year. That’s the basic facts of it.”
While the gate receipts from this year’s event are still being tallied, heavy rain the day before it started meant there were plenty of nervous moments for organisers. However, the attendance was described as ‘steady’ and ‘reasonable’ despite of changeable conditions.
“I think if we get 13,000 people through the gates overall, we will be pretty happy,” said Mr Gibson. “It’s going to take a lot of money to move, and that’s why we need to know that the people want a show, because there’s no point spending a million dollars to develop a new area and the public are not going to support it.”
