Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the weather starts to slowly cool down in Central Queensland, the show season begins. The traditional country show has been an important part of our rural communities for more than 100 years. In regional Australia, the annual show still carries a feeling of nostalgia, honouring our agricultural heritage. When I attend the show I am always reminded of some of our wonderful Australian traditions like woodchopping and the lamington-baking competitions and, when I was young, I won first place for my pikelets. The dedication of volunteers every year and the enthusiastic support from the communities mean our children and grandchildren get to share some of these traditions today and have some old-fashioned fun.

Shows and festival events in country towns help stimulate the local economy. They support local charities, provide opportunities for schools and clubs to raise money and bring together scattered farm folk. They blend attitudes and life styles and enlarge social networks. Events like the annual Yeppoon and Rockhampton shows lift community spirit in hard economic times and bring the community together, offering some light-hearted fun. I would like to congratulate all those who entered their art and photography, their baking, their crocheted blankets, those who showed their animals, those who volunteered and those who took their children along. You are always helping to keep these much loved and needed traditions alive.