SHOW season began with the 134th Maffra Agricultural Show over the weekend of October 25-27.
The weather couldn’t have been better, bringing families out in droves. Over 4000 people walked through the gates over the three days.
In its third year since returning from a three-year hiatus in 2022, the show has “bounced back significantly from Covid,” according to Maffra Agricultural Society president Kath Coggan.
“An important aspect of this is the (state government) offering ‘free entry for children’ for shows in 2022. We were asked to estimate our children’s numbers, and we were subsidised. As well as this, our adult price was reduced to $10 for adults over 18,” Ms Coggan explained.
“That year saw a significant attendance increase. The committee believed that this was significant, so we approached the Community and District Bank Maffra (to subsidise) us for free entry to children. They have now offered continual sponsorship for this,” she added.
At the heart of the show are activities for kids and families, alongside a focus on farming with exhibits from farm machinery businesses and poultry and cattle events.
“The Maffra Show is a great family event with many traditional agricultural exhibits,” Ms Coggan said.
“The children’s calf-rearing competition, the kids’ school cookery, plus the Dip for 1, animal nursery, pet parade, and roving entertainment. The Food and Entertainment Court is probably an integral part with music from 10pm till 7pm…. The Food and Entertainment Court is often a recipient of the Wellington Shire Council’s Community Assistance grant.”
Ms Coggan coordinated the Schools Friday program this year. It has been running for 17 years.
“Years three and four students are invited to a morning of rotating activities. The children enjoy a range of fun and educational activities whilst getting a vibe of the show with horse events and the carnival rides set up.”
This year, 280 students from primary schools, including Nambrok-Denison, Boisdale, Maffra, Bundalaguah and Heyfield, descended on Maffra Recreation Reserve.
They enjoyed activities with Royal Flying Doctor Service, Wellington Shire Sustainability, Auskick, Gippsland Woodcraft Group, Gippsland Water, Yesteryear vintage machinery, MacMillan Rockhounds and the Gippsland Climate Change Network and its Renewable Energy Trailer.
New to the school program this year was the Royal Flying Doctor Service, where students learned about its operations and explored an ambulance on display.
The program has been a mainstay of the show since 2007.
Maffra Primary School students listened closely as Ian Southall from GCCN highlighted brown coal’s historic significance to the region and discussed the shift toward renewable energy.
Later, students gathered in a circle to create an electrical circuit by holding hands. When two students held a transformer, it buzzed and lit up as the circle held hands, demonstrating electron flow, which stopped when the students let go.
During breaks, school groups gathered to watch the equestrian events, including the novelty Horse Fun Ring. Children, alongside their patient ponies dressed up as dragons, garden beds, and even a fire truck, were guided around the ring by their parents.
Three-year-old Abigail Flint, seriously in a dragon phase, had no interest in fairy princesses — just fire-breathing dragons. Naturally, she dressed as a dragon, as did her pony, Panda, who sported pipe cleaners resembling flames and iridescent fabric mimicking scales. Together, they earned the sash for ‘Best Dressed’.
The Gippsland Woodcraft Group’s table quickly became a favourite stop, showcasing handcrafted wooden items created by its members. Volunteers guided students, including Tess Stuart from Heyfield Primary School, in sawing shapes like kangaroos.
The stall operated on Saturday, too. Talented craftsmen like Maurice Dunnulson from Toongabbie demonstrated his skill honed over 25 years in the group, hand-carving an intricate ‘Tree of Life’ design, which took him about an hour and a half. Even this reporter joined in, taking about 20 minutes to saw a simple gingerbread man.
Nearby, Andrew Knowles crafted pens. He said the group often participates in local events, including the Mountain Cattleman’s, sharing their love for woodcraft with the community, especially kids.
Mr Anderson joined the group a decade ago. He emphasised it was community-minded. Being based in Nambrok, senior students from Nambrok-Denison Primary School attend the workshop on Thursday mornings to learn about woodcraft.
Graeme Turner became a member 25 years ago and stayed because “it’s never stopped being fun”.
He explained that the group crafts furniture, including tables for schools and benches for nursing homes throughout Wellington Shire. Recently, they created benches for Senior’s Week, commissioned by Wellington Shire to make picnic benches with wheelchair-accessible designs.
Bunnings and ASH Retail in Heyfield, both of which donate timber, support the group. Mr Turner shared that they make custom gifts for ASH Retail’s customers, such as spatulas, thermometers, and rulers.
“They give us the timber, we dress it down, cut it to size, and get it laser engraved,” he explained.
Their unique claim to fame? They’re the “only club in Australia to have exported rulers to China,” Mr Turner laughed, recalling that Vince Hurley from ASH once gifted rulers engraved in Mandarin while travelling there for a seminar.
Saturday was packed with traditional highlights, including horse events, showjumping, harness competitions, cattle and poultry exhibitions, arts and crafts, and floral art displays. Families flocked to classic features like the animal nursery, pet parade, and carnival rides.
The midday pet parade had kids and parents with pets of all kinds scrambling to enter as many events as possible. The events included ‘Best Mannered Dog/Pup’ and categories for different pets, from guinea pigs to ponies, calves, and chickens.
Lucy Ryan, nine, and her four-year-old Jack Russell Taffy won first prize in the dog over six months old category. Will White, seven, and Midnight were the best entrants in the calf category, reviving their ‘Men in Black’ look from a competition earlier in the day.
The ShelterDome was busy all day. Families taking a break from show activities were serenaded by the Maffra Community Choir, while eager kids lined up for face painting by Marshall Arts Facepainting.
This year, the food court, themed on Asian cuisine, featured five food trucks, local favourites Blue Gables Vineyard and Maffco Brewery, and free craft activities for children.
The show’s food and wine coordinator, Connie Dwyer explained the chosen theme this year.
“We’ve chosen an Asian theme, and in our area, there’s a growing population of people from Asia, particularly on dairy farms… And we thought it was time to embrace other cultures, make everybody feel welcome, and showcase Asian cultures, teaching the broader Maffra community about those cultures,” she said.
Ms Dwyer has been on the show’s organising committee for 10 years. It’s a family affair, and her husband, Tim, is the night carnival coordinator.
Their daughter Anastasia calls show week “the best week of the year”.
“She’s involved in calf rearing, art and craft, Maffra Mile, Miss Showgirl, and so many different parts. And she said just preparing and getting ready for the show is her favourite week of the whole year,” Ms Dwyer said.
The night carnival launched at 4.30pm, adding a lively lineup of activities like the woodchop competition, Kidz Zone, the famous Maffra Mile, lawnmower races, and a high-flying dog jump event. The night concluded with a thrilling trifecta: a fire show by Wacky Wombat, the demolition derby, and a spectacular fireworks display lighting up the Maffra sky.
Community organisations and dedicated volunteers contributed hours to make the 134th Maffra Show a success.
“The Maffra Show is well supported by the business financial community plus in-kind support and enormous support from community groups (like) Lions, Rotary, Men’s Shed, (and) Maffra Secondary College. As well as this, the individual volunteer hours are enormous,” Ms Coggan said.
