Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In September 2020 the coalition government launched a Supporting Agricultural Shows and Field Days program to provide operational support for agricultural shows. All these shows were affected by COVID during 2020. The Mount Larcom show was granted $70,000, and the hardworking president, Michael Wallace, said he could not have run such a successful show without that program. This show was held last weekend and had record crowds and many record entries. There were pavilion entries, caged birds, pure bred dogs, stud cattle, commercial cattle, the ute muster and chainsaw events, which attracted the three world champions to compete, as well as five top woodcutters.

Back in 1953, the late Reg Peters said, 'Why doesn't Mount Larcom have a show?' Locals got behind Reg's idea, and in 1954 the show began. Reg's vibrant widow, Jean, who is 94 years old, has not missed one show in the 67 years since that date. She believes that the show is so successful because it brings together country people at a great meeting place. This year a new competition commenced, with the Matherson Crane Hire ball drop. A total of $3,000 was raised, including $750 to get the very-afraid-of-heights 4CC radio announcer Hammo into the cane basket, which lifted him 40 metres in the air, and he dropped the ball, but in the wrong place. The money that was raised will be donated to the Gladstone Hospital— (Time expired)