Take your family to the Melbourne Royal Show on a budget

The Melbourne Royal Show is back after a two-year hiatus – here’s how to enjoy the rides, showbags, food and more without breaking the bank.

The Melbourne Royal Show is back after a more than 1000-day hiatus.

The Melbourne Royal Show is back after a two-year hiatus.

Organisers are expecting pent-up excitement to drive hundreds of thousands of people to the Showgrounds for the event, running from September 22 to October 2.

But it also comes at a time when cost of living has soared, and between the showbags, the rides and the food, the Show can make for an expensive day out.

It doesn’t have to be, though – read on for some handy hacks and freebies that can give you a cost-effective outing.

HOW TO GET CHEAPER SHOW TICKETS

Children aged 14 and under get free admission to the Show.

Tickets for adults cost $45 and for concession, $32 – but there are a few ways to gain discounted entry.

If you get in quick, you can get a 15 per cent discount on adult tickets (taking cost to $38.35) and 10 per cent on concession ($28.80) by buying tickets before 9pm, September 20.

If you enter the Show after 5pm, it’ll cost you just $25 – and you’ll gain access to four hours of entertainment and live music from acts including Baker Boy, The Veronicas and Gretta Ray.

Melbourne Royal Show members pay just $90 for two-day entry for two people, while also gaining other benefits and privileges, or $175 for unlimited entry.

BEST-VALUE SHOWBAGS

Many of the 330-odd showbags offer great value.

Planning ahead is the best way to avoid overspending in the Herald Sun Showbag Pavilion.

More than a third of the 330-odd showbags on offer cost less than $20, with 79 going for $10 or less and the cheapest (the classic Bertie Beetle Blue) setting you just back $3.

Check out the Herald Sun Showbag Guide in paper on Thursday for the full list, but these showbags represent good bargains for savvy shoppers:

Confectionary: Mega Showbag ($35, value $130), Bertie Beetle Diamond Deal ($18, value $32), Tim Tam ($18, value $40.60)

Magazines: Marie Claire ($30, value $441.87), Better Homes and Gardens ($30, value $315.81), The Australian Women’s Weekly ($20, value $318.66)

Novelty: AFL club showbags ($28, value $95), Star Wars Retro ($28, value $95.93), Kids Creation Station ($30, value $109.80)

Lifestyle and epicure: Rural Aid ($17, value $185.89), Art, Craft and Cookery Showbag ($25, value $137.45), Australis Cosmetics ($27, value $131.65), Bubs and Tots ($30, value $256.39), Men’s Style Showbag ($30, value $307.92), Stella Athletic Showbag ($32, value $346.57)

HOW TO GET CHEAPER SHOW RIDES

A ride pass can save you money.

You can save up to 25 per cent on rides when you buy a ride pass with a general admission ticket. They’re available in a range of values starting from $40.

Rides at the Show cost between $6 to $20 each, so a ride pass is the way to go if you’re a thrillseeker.

Kids under 12 can also jump on-board a free Miniature Railway Ride.

FREE THINGS TO DO AT THE SHOW

Hands-On Activities for Kids

KUBOTA AUSTRALIA LIVESTOCK PAVILION

Kubota Kids Go-Kart Zone 10am – 5pm

Kids will be able zip and manoeuvre their vehicles around the track, in between checking out the award-winning livestock.

PENTAVITE JUNIOR HARVEST JOURNEY

Digging for Veggies 10am – 6pm

Metro Trains Miniature Railway 10am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 6pm

Harvester virtual experience 10am – 6pm

There are plenty of free activities involving animals.

WOOLWORTHS FRESH FOOD PAVILION

Woolworths Discovery Bus 9.30am – 6.30pm

SPOTLIGHT MAKERS PAVILION

Arts & Crafts Activities 10am – 5.30pm

POULTRY PAVILION

Colour a feather and help grow the chicken

Animal Experiences

ANIMAL NURSERY (OPEN 9.30AM-6PM)

Bottle feed an animal 10.30am & 3.45pm

Animal Education Hub Daily 12.15pm, 2pm, 5.30pm

SUSHI HUB ANIMAL FARMYARD

Feeding time with Farmer Darryl 11.30am, 3.30pm

PURA PAVILION (SEPT 27-OCT 2 ONLY)

Sheep Shearing Experience 10am, noon, 2pm & 4pm

Milking Experience 11am, 1pm, 3pm & 5pm

POULTRY PAVILION (OPEN 9.30AM-6PM)

Pat a chook 10.00am – 5.00pm daily

See Victoria’s most talented, and pampered pooches at the Dogs Pavilion.

BEST FRIENDS PETS DOGS PAVILION

The All Breeds Championship Show competition celebrates 150 years in 2022. Watch on as more than 3000 dogs vie to be crowned Best in Show. And don’t forget to visit Victoria’s most pampered pooches in the Melbourne Pet Grooming Championships.

HORSES IN ACTION ARENA

From the historic Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout on September 26 to the World Cup Qualifier Show Jumping Competition on September 30, there will be plenty of free equine entertainment at the Horses in Action Arena.

Family Entertainment

LIVE SHOWS AT ENTERTAINMENT PRECINCT

Sesame Street Live Show 11am

Community Group Performances 11.45am

Blue’s Clues Live Show 12.30pm

Airtime Freestyle Motocross Stunt Show 1.30pm & 7pm

Cosentino – The Grand Illusionist 2pm & 6pm

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Live Show 4.30pm

DJ – Minion Street Party 4pm & 5.30pm

MEET AND GREETS AT ENTERTAINMENT PRECINCT

Trolls, Poppy & Branch 11.30am, 2.30pm

Minions, Kevin & Bob 12.15am

Sesame Street, Elmo & Cookie Monster 12.45pm

Airtime Freestyle Motocross Stunt Show Team Signing 1.45pm

Blue’s Clues 3.30pm

The Show After Dark

ENTERTAINMENT PRECINCT

Cosentino – The Grand Illusionist 6pm

Airtime Freestyle Motocross Stunt Show 7pm

Laser Light Show 7.15pm

FEATURE MUSIC (8PM)

Havana Brown Thursday 22/9

The Veronicas Friday 23/9

Motor Ace Saturday 24/9

Vika & Linda Sunday 25/9

Gretta Ray Mon 26/9

Touch Sensitive Tues 27/9

Owl Eyes Wed 28/9

British India Thursday 29/9

Sneaky Sound System Friday 30/9

Baker Boy Saturday 1/10

Bag Raiders Sunday 2/10

After Dark Admission is included in your general admission day ticket or $25 for entry after 5pm.

The Woochopping has been a highlight of the Show for more than 100 years.

Pentavite Junior Harvest Journey

This is a new family friendly farm-themed precinct full of free activities for the whole family. Snap a pic in front of the hay bale animals, or dig for veggies and exchange them for your Pentavite colouring book.

9News Lifestyle & Local Heroes Pavilion

Sit in the main chair and record your own 9News bulletin, or Take a photo at Block HQ and have a crack at building your very own Block house. View the daily meet-and-greet schedule at royalshow.com.au

MasterChef Kitchen

The MasterChef Kitchen is available for visitors to walk through and capture photos within the iconic backdrop.

Woodchop

Check out Australia’s best axemen and women in action at the Woodchop Pavilion, which has been a feature of the Show for more than 100 years. It runs from September 22 to 26, with the Australian Championship Tree Felling (275mm) held on September 25.

CHEAP EATS AT THE 2022 MELBOURNE SHOW

From snacks to hearty lunches and delicious desserts, the Show has you covered. Picture Rebecca Michael.

Of course, the most budget-friendly way to dine at the show is to BYO picnic.

But there are some cheap eats on offer for those who would like to sample the food on offer at the Showgrounds.

Toasties are going for just $3 at The Cheese Toastie Factory, while crowd favourites like hot chips range from $3 to $15 at different vendors.

The cafe run by Country Women’s Association volunteers has been a staple of the Show for more than 70 years and offers full-cooked breakfasts, hearty lunches and famous scones and other treats for reasonable prices. The time-honoured scones with jam and cream will set you back just $6.

Wonder Pies’ traditional beef and gravy pie costs $9 and can be found at one of the Show’s new food precincts: the Melbourne Laneway.

In another new foodie section, Graze, El Paletero’s $6 watermelon paleta is a tasty dessert for the budget conscious.

There are also free water trailers around the grounds.

For more information, follow this link to our digital 32-page Show Guide.