Lengthy queues as thousands rush to Easter Show despite stabbing tragedy
A sold-out Good Friday Easter Show saw patrons stuck in long queues after the implementation of new security checks and some parents too scared to let their teens visit after dark.
NSW
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A sold-out Good Friday Easter Show saw thousands of patrons stuck in long queues after the implementation of new security checks however some parents are still too scared to let their children go after dark.
Massive crowds formed at the entrance to the sold-out show on Friday morning, with 80,000 people taking advantage of the sun-filled public holiday.
The tightly packed queues stretched down Olympic Blvd with police on hand to control the growing crowd, and by 11.30 it was impossible to see the end of the line from the entrance.
The lengthy queues come after the show was forced to beef-up security after the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old father-to-be Uati Faletolu.
At the gates, in Sydney Olympic Park, all patrons will now be checked with a metal detector and there are increased bag checks as well as more police and security on the ground.
A spokesman for the show said while the extra security and crowd numbers were drawing long lines, the queue was moving through quickly enough with most patrons waiting 15 minutes in line.
Those attending the final nights of the show, which is open until April 19, can expect to see trios of police personnel surveying the showgrounds and flood lights brightening up the ground after sunset.
At one stage, the show’s Grand Parade had 10 police officers roaming along it, with security guards on patrol vehicles following close behind.
Additionally, showgoers must now participate in stringent safety measures taking place across the grounds including bag checks and metal detector wand screening.
The main carnival also has a new closing time, with rides terminating at 9.30pm.
“It was good to see extra police presence in the carnival section and they had a van set up so that if anyone was in trouble they were easy to spot,” showgoer and mother Karen Malone told the Sunday Telegraph.
“We were never really worried about going as a family as we planned to be out of the carnival section just after dark and the arena was mainly family friendly.”
While some teenagers gathered in large groups at the show, the Malone family were at ease knowing that there’s safety in numbers.
“I was not worried at all because I was with my family and knew I would be safe,” 12-year-old Emma Malone told the Sunday Telegraph.
“I could just see everyone having fun,” Emma’s sister Amy Malone, 15, added.
Sydney teenagers Charlotte Moore and Thomas O’Brien, both 17, had to do a little more negotiating to convince their parents that the show would be a safe atmosphere in the evening.
“My parents were a bit concerned but I told them I was going with a big group,” Ms Moore said.
Friends Annabel Barker, 20, Sarah Sun, 19, Taylor Arteaga, 19, and Isabella Rizk, 19, remained a little more cautious of their surroundings but still enjoyed the show.
“When we arrived in the afternoon, the (entry) line moved very quickly, however we thought the bag check was done very briefly,” Ms Arteaga told the Sunday Telegraph.
“This year after hearing what happened with the stabbing I felt really conscious of all the groups of teenagers, which in previous years I never thought about,” Ms Barker added.
As for advice from the girls’ parents, the group were told to stick together and to avoid large crowds.
“My parents were quite hesitant to let me go at all,” Ms Rizk said.
“(But I]) reassured them that we would be leaving towards night time and staying away from the crowds near the rides,” she said.
RAS general manager Murray Wilton reassured the public that the association was doing all they possibly could to protect visitors at the show.
“You’ve got a very small number of people, three out of over 800,000 people, who have decided to do the wrong thing,” Mr Wilton said, urging showgoers not to be dissuaded by this
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Originally published as Lengthy queues as thousands rush to Easter Show despite stabbing tragedy
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