Gympie community shows support for staff and stallholders after drenched show weekend
The Gympie region has thrown its support behind the embattled Gympie Show Society after disastrous weather on what should have been the biggest day of the Show, and the heart breaking decision to cancel the final day.
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The embattled Gympie Show is feeling the love and support of the community despite floodwaters closing bridges and torrential rain driving off 2022 crowds.
A courageous last-minute decision was made to go ahead with the Show this year, when State Government Covid mandates were suddenly lifted five weeks out from the event. Show Society president Deb Brown had announced earlier in the year that the mandates had made it impossible to hold a 2022 Show.
The committee and its 300 volunteers forged ahead, but could not have predicted the disastrous weather that brought the region its third flood in five months on Show weekend, and sent the muddy Mary River over all the region’s major bridges and into the CBD.
After 120mm of rain fell on Gympie on the public holiday of Show Friday, the third day of the Show was cancelled.
“We wouldn’t want them out on the roads if they couldn’t get home,” Show Society vice-president Warren Smith said on Thursday.
Mr Smith said he had heartfelt sympathy for the staff, stallholders and public as the flood warnings came through on Saturday.
Many stall-holders were set back by closed roads, but were also under-staffed because of Covid.
Since that disastrous weekend, the Gympie Show Society has received a great deal of positive feedback and support from the community.
Mr Smith said most locals were not expecting refunds for their tickets, and were considering it a donation to the volunteers who had worked so hard to pull the Show together in such a short time.
The Show Society received a phone call on Monday from Sutton Building Solutions, offering their support and a donation. Multiple show sponsors followed suite.
“We’re grateful for all the support from within and outside the community,” Mr Smith said.
The Show Society has not been discouraged by the drenching, and says it will put on a bigger and better event in 2023.
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