Growing pains: Show grapples with capacity challenges

President Rowan O’Hara says show patronage is on track to beat numbers not seen for more than 30 years

by Janine Hill

THE Sunshine Coast Show has become so successful it verges on outgrowing the Nambour showgrounds.

Sunshine Coast Show Society president Rowan O’Hara said in the last six years, show attendance had grown 92% to almost 36,000.

Mr O’Hara said patronage was on track to beat numbers not seen for more than 30 years when a house-and-land package was given away in a 1990s show promotion.

“That was probably the last year they had 40,000 people at the show and we’re probably set to hit that mark this year, all going well,” he said.

He put the show’s success down to the good work of a strong committee.

“I have a very good committee that are very much driven to put on the best product that we can achieve, and it’s all volunteers apart from a couple of paid positions,” he said.

He said the Sunshine Coast Show was now the fourth largest and biggest show in Queensland and brought $4 million into the region, “all in a ground that’s smaller than most country shows”.

Mr O’Hara used a recent meet-the-candidates event to raise the issue of the constraints placed on the show by the grounds.

He said the show accepted just under 7000 entries, of which 2000 were for horse events. He said although there were 80 schools on the Coast, school entries had to be limited to only two.

“If one more school was to enter a number of works into these sections, we’re at the point of not being able to accept them due to space,” he told the meeting.

Speaking to the Sunshine Valley Gazette, Mr O’Hara said parking was limited, and there was not a bus stop or taxi rank near the showgrounds. 

Vehicle access and parking was now at the point where he feared it was becoming a risk for patrons, volunteers, exhibitors and their animals.

He said the space shortage also affected other large events held at the showgrounds, including the Queensland Garden Expo.

Mr O’Hara is hopeful that the new council will engage with the show society and other interested parties to discuss their future needs.

At the meet-the-candidates night, he asked candidates what their plans were for the future of major events on the Sunshine Coast.

Promising signs

He was satisfied that most of the field said they were willing to consult on the matter.

Mayor-elect Rosanna Natoli said she would undertake to look into why a proposed multi-purpose facility for the showgrounds had been shelved.

However, Mr O’Hara said the proposed location of the building on a grassy hill would restrict views of the ring without providing sufficient replacement seating. But he was open to discussing other possibilities.