Whitsunday Regional Council questions need for Show Day holidays, suggests introducing Cup Day holiday instead
Cup Day in November or Show Day in June- if you got to choose, when would you rather a day off?
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Would you swap your Show Day holiday for a day off to watch the Melbourne Cup? One Whitsunday councillor thinks a lot of people would, and has called for community feedback on the matter.
Division 1 Cr and Mandalay resident Jan Clifford told the July 28 council meeting at Bowen “a lot of people down at the beach would rather have Cup Day” than a show holiday, because, she said, most people attended Show Whitsunday at Proserpine outside work hours anyway.
“Most people go to the show on Friday night … Could we do a survey to find out what people would actually like?” Cr Clifford asked.
Cr Clifford’s request was in response to a procedural motion asking the council to approve dates for next year’s Show Day public holidays in Proserpine, Airlie Beach, Cannonvale, Bowen, and Collinsville.
Division 6 Cr Mike Brunker explained the community of Collinsville, which does not host an annual agricultural show, requested a holiday on Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday, November 1, 2022, instead of falling in with the Bowen district’s Show Day: June 21, 2022.
Cr Brunker said coastal areas would likely not receive state government approval for Cup Day holidays however, and that putting the matter out for community consultation might create an expectation the council could not meet.
“The only reason Collinsville can do this is because the Showman’s Guild doesn’t go out there,” Cr Brunker said.
“We’d raise expectations we’re going to change it when we can’t.
“The coastal ones have to be linked in with the show.”
As it stands after the council vote on Wednesday, the Show Day dates for 2022 are as follows:
Proserpine, Airlie Beach and Cannonvale: Friday, June 17.
Bowen: Tuesday, June 21.
Collinsville: Tuesday, November 1.
Cr Clifford’s suggestion for community consultation on the 2023 dates was not included in the motion and is yet to receive official endorsement.
Mayor Andrew Willcox said he had not encountered anyone in the community asking for a change to the traditional dates.
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Originally published as Whitsunday Regional Council questions need for Show Day holidays, suggests introducing Cup Day holiday instead
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