Easter Show: how coronavirus threat will be managed
Sydney Royal Easter Show organisers are optimistic the show will go ahead. But how will they manage a looming public health crisis, and will the bush still want to come to the big smoke?
Parramatta
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As coronavirus cases in Sydney continue to rise and with just a month to go before the Sydney Royal Easter Show, officials are determined that “the show will go on”.
NSW Royal Agricultural Society chief executive Brock Gilmour said despite bushfires and droughts ravaging rural communities, and coronavirus hitting the city, organisers were on track to host 23,000 entries over 68 competitions for the show, which runs at Sydney Olympic Park from April 3-14.
“We cannot pre-empt as to what the situation will be like in one week, two weeks and whatever situation … but at this stage the show’s going ahead,” Mr Gilmour said.
He said the RAS will continue to monitor advice from NSW Health to determine whether the event, which generates $250 million to the local economy.
Hygiene will be boosted with more than 12 hand sanitising stations, and more signage about handwashing, sneezing and coughing.
“We’re in contact with them all the time,’’ Mr Gilmour said.
He said pre-sale figures were on par with last year but the society had budgeted for coronavirus to have some effect on attendance. He said the RAS was forecasting 700,000 visitors, about 100,000 less than in 2019.
Mr Gilmour said the show provided farmers respite from farm life.
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“The local shows really need the Easter show to continue to thrive,’’ he said.
“The farmers have been dealing with drought for many years then they got hit with the bushfires over the Christmas period.
“They look forward to catching up with old friends and we give them space from the harsh realities of farming.
“I think the show will be fantastic.’’
John Gill of John Gill and Sons Rodeo, based at The Rock south of Wagga, said he had no concerns about making the four-and-a-half hour trip to Sydney for the Easter Show.
The 82-year-old said he would be bringing pony rides to Homebush, like he has done for the last 30 years.
“The biggest concern I’ve got is that I might not be able to buy toilet paper,” he joked.
“No, you’ve just got to take it as the same as the flu. I’ve seen there was a big flu scare at a Brisbane exhibition one year and naturally a few people stayed away.
“I’m not an expert on any of this, but I don’t think about it too much. I’m lucky to be at the age that I am. You just need to treat it with commonsense, like any other health issues.
Brisbane-based Showmen’s Guild of Australia president George Pink said he was not thinking twice about heading to the big smoke for the show.
“We don’t take this new flu they’ve got down there that serious; we’ve been through plenty of them before,’’ he said.
“(The show) is what the people want. We have had the recent bushfires and a drought for the last seven years.
“We had to cancel a lot of shows like Bega and the ones we have done we did for charity.”
During the blazes the showgrounds were used as evacuation centres.
“It would be disastrous (if the show was cancelled) we know we’re going through a very tough year in the country,’’ he said.
“We’d be eating rabbits (if Sydney was cancelled), and I haven’t eaten rabbit in a long time.”