2024 Monto Show celebrated under National Heritage Registry

The team behind the annual Monto Show is hoping the event’s national recognition will encourage visitor interest as the town also marks its centenary.

The 2024 Monto Show will reflect on the years gone by. Exhibition display of 'Castle Cordials' at Monto Show, 1951.

The team behind the beloved Monto Show is hoping the addition of this year’s annual event to a national heritage registry will encourage a host of visitors to the region.

Monto Show Society president Paul Francis said the group made the move to register the 93rd Monto Show with the National Trust in line with the town’s centenary celebrations.

“It was an opportunity to promote our show to a wider audience,” he said.

The mission of the National Trust is to “to conserve and advance our natural and cultural heritage for future generations”.

Monto is also marking 100 years as a town, with the show society organising new classes and events to encourage residents and visitors to look back over the past century.

“It’s 100 years since the settlement of the township, and because that is significant to our community our show will have a ‘then and now’ theme,” Mr Francis said.

The theme will include new classes throughout the pavillion, along with the return of historical classes such as the eight-tooth bullock and a dairy cow class.

“We used to be a dairy district, that was what put the town on its feet, the dairy industry was the core of the district's economy,” Mr Francis said.

“That’s all passed into history now, but as a way of respecting and reflecting on our past we have included this dairy class in the cattle competition.”

Monto Show Society president Paul Francis hopes the addition of the 2024 show to the National Heritage Registry will encourage a new audience to attend the event.

Industry displays and centenary classes will encourage a historically minded audience to consider the show, perhaps for the first time, with the event listed among dozens of historical and heritage events being held across the country next month.

“Anyone that’s interested in historical events can go to the website, have a bit of a look and see our event listed,” Mr Francis said.

Mr Francis said the town was built with land allocated for the showground from the outset, giving the show and town a connection.

“Our showground is in the middle of town and I guess it was about a brand new district putting itself on show for the rest of the region and the state,” he said.

“It’s about letting everyone know what has been achieved since 1924, and the show has always been significant to the community.

“We’re also respectful to the past and the work that past committees have done in bringing our show society to where it is today.”

This year’s Monto Show will take place on April 27 and 28 at the Monto Showground.

Find out more here.

Originally published as 2024 Monto Show celebrated under National Heritage Registry