Townsville Show 2025: Beryl Leet’s prize winning patticakes, marshmallows

A 93-year-old woman has taken out three ribbons at the Townsville Show - including first for patticakes, and second for marshmallows. She shares her recipe with us.

Daneka Hill

@DanekaHill

less than 2 min read

July 5, 2025 - 10:22AM

Townsville Bulletin

Beryl Leet at the 2025 Townsville Show with her prize certificates and famous marshmallows

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A 93-year-old woman has taken out three ribbons at the Townsville Show for her baking - including first for her patticakes and second in marshmallows

Beryl Leet currently lives in OzCare Villa Vincent, but spent her life in nearby Home Hill working as a self-taught cake maker, caterer, and more.

At the 2025 Townsville Show, Beryl, her daughter Sharon Leet, and granddaughter Christie Gist worked together to enter the marshmallow, jam drop, Anzac biscuit, patticake, scone and French jelly competitions.

All the cooking goes on in Sharon’s two-storey Townsville home.

“We take mum to my house, and she’s in a wheelchair so we bring everything downstairs for her to use,” Sharon said.

In 2002, Beryl Leet was crowned ‘festival monarch’ at the Home Hill Harvest Festival Pic Bryan Lynch

“We bring everything but the sink and the oven. Mum has her mixmaster downstairs and her granddaughter goes up and down the stairs checking on the oven.”

According to Beryl, she entered her first show in 1952 with marshmallows and biscuits - and got first prize for both.

She still uses the same recipes today.

All smiles at the official opening of "Christie's Dream Room" at the Home Hill Hospital were (from left) Mayor Lyn McLaughlin and Christie Gist's grandmother, Beryl Leet.

“She uses recipes that are over 100 years old,” Sharon said.

“Her grandmother bought the recipes out from England, and she still uses them today.”

At the 2025 Townsville Show, Beryl won first prize for her patticakes, and was awarded second for her marshmallows and French Jellies.

Townsville Show 2025: Christie Grist's first prize marshmallows, with her grandmother Beryl Leek's marshmallows in the background.

The winner who managed to beat Beryl in the coveted marshmallow and French jellies competition was a familiar face - Beryl’s own granddaughter and kitchen apprentice, Christie.

According to the family, the marshmallow recipe they use is a Scottish one.

“Mum used to make thousands of marshmallow bunnies every Easter, she loves them,” Sharon said.

“Now that she’s in Vincent Villa, mum has made 350 marshmallow bunnies every Easter for the patients and staff.”