Crowds flock to Proserpine to celebrate the return of Show Whitsunday

Did you know Show Whitsunday poultry exhibitors bathe and blow dry roosters and hens a week prior so natural oils coat the feathers for award-winning shine?

Did you know Show Whitsunday poultry exhibitors have to bathe and blow dry their roosters and hens a week in advance to allow enough time for natural oils to coat the feathers for an award-winning shine?

Were you aware runner ducks have such voracious appetites you can get them to race through an obstacle course at rapid speed with just a container of grain at the finish line?

Did you ever consider the effects of Cyclone Debbie on Whitsunday green thumbs who have had to start from scratch after cultivating gardens full of prizewinning blooms over many years?

Neither did we, but these are some of the things you could have learned exploring the Proserpine Showgrounds when Show Whitsunday returned this year for the first time since 2019.

Marvin Deicke of Collingvale Station, north of Proserpine, won Most Successful Exhibitor and Champion Bullock with his Brangus (Brahman Angus cross) cattle. Picture: Kirra Grimes

With prizes across a huge range of categories representing the best of country life, you could find veteran exhibitors such as Wayne Quantock, Eileen Cameron, and Marvin Deicke competing alongside up-and-coming champions like five-year-old Lily O’Brien and 16-year-old Awatea Barrett, as well as increasing numbers of young women giving the blokes a run for their money in male-dominated fields like the wood chop.

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See who we snapped on day one of Show Whitsunday

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Amber Greenhalgh of Proserpine had a successful day out on Friday, winning Champion Local Hack and Champion Hack of the Show on mare ‘Su-am Efferescent’. Picture: Kirra Grimes

The Show Whitsunday committee was thrilled with the number of high-quality exhibits, as well as the turnout across both days of the event, as the community embraced the sorely missed opportunity to gather en-masse and celebrate its talents.

As well as the hilarious duck races – a fun new addition to this year’s program – a highlight for committee president Donna Rogers was the opening of a brand-new show pavilion to replace a 70-year-old building destroyed by Cyclone Debbie in 2017.

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The $600,000 facility – funded through Whitsunday Regional Council, federal government, and individual donations – will be available for hire for public and private events, and the show committee hopes it will serve the community for many years to come.

“There were a lot of great memories made in the old building – lot of people’s grandparents met each other there and danced together – so we were pretty crushed when we lost it,” Ms Rogers said.

“The new building is designed to be multipurpose and we’ve already had lots of really positive feedback and lots of ideas for usage, so it’s going to continue to be a place where local people make memories,” she said.

Mandy and Col Ayers of Proserpine remembered dancing rock and roll on the floor of the old pavilion, which has been preserved as a decorative feature of the new building. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Whitsunday councillor John Collins, Show Whitsunday committee president Donna Rogers, and Dawson MP George Christensen unveiled a plaque honouring those who contributed funds to build the new pavilion. Picture: Kirra Grimes

Jacob O'Donnell of Mackay, Mitch Gossow of Townsville, and Awatea Barrett of Mackay took out the top spots in the standing block championship at Show Whitsunday on Saturday. Picture: Kirra Grimes