Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Next Friday and Saturday, the Macarthur community will come together for the 2012 Camden Show. The annual show is one of largest community events in the Macarthur region, with around 38,000 visitors expected over the two days. I am a patron of the Camden Show and am proud to say that the local show society is run almost entirely by volunteers, who work very hard to ensure the show maintains its country feel.

For more than 125 years, the Camden Show has supported local agriculture, farmers, education and business in farming. The show is a fantastic community event which showcases Macarthur's agricultural, horticultural, commercial and industrial resources through competitions, exhibitions and entertainment. It also promotes excellence in agriculture, with livestock competitions and exhibitions for horses, cattle, poultry, goats, alpacas, sheep, dogs and cats. This year the show will celebrate the Australian Year of the Farmer, with the first Camden Show Farmer of the Year competition. This is a great opportunity for my community to recognise the hard work put in by our local farmers and their contribution to the industry and our economy.

Local schools in my electorate will also get involved this year by taking part in the Battle of the Schools Talent Quest and a scarecrow competition. The show will also feature animal wranglers, a duck muster, jousting on quad bikes, giant pumpkin growing, a street parade, lawnmower racing, a tent-pegging competition, wheelie bin racing, the young farmers challenge, an iron man competition, a fireworks spectacular and much, much more. I encourage everyone in my electorate to come along to this fantastic event and show their support for Macarthur's farming and agricultural industries. I also invite anybody else in New South Wales to attend. We will welcome them to our region and to this great show.