SHOW’S DAYS NUMBERED

REVEALED Rural showcase faces cutbacks

HOBART’S annual show may no longer be run for the traditional four days amid rising costs and dwindling attendances. The Show Society board has decided to commit to a 2018 sshow — but is conssidering cutting the numbern of days to keepk the event viable. Society boss Scott Gadd said the cancellation of other showss across Tasmania meant fewer operators of rides anda other attrac- tions would make the trip from the mainland this year.

The show was also facing a range of rising costs, such as electricity and insurance.

He said a review was under way to determine what changes were required to keep the show “relevant”.

“We decided that the last thing we will do is shut the show,” Mr Gadd said.

“We will try everything possible before we do that because that is our reason for being.”

THE show will go on in 2018 but it may not be the traditional four days, Royal Agricultural Show Society of Tasmania chief executive officer Scott Gadd says.

Mr Gadd said it had been resolved at a board meeting on Wednesday to hold the Royal Hobart Show this year despite problems with dwindling attendances that beset the Royal Launceston and Devonport shows in 2017.

Australia’s oldest agricultural show will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2022 and is a celebration of the state’s rural industries, with its own gazetted holiday in October. It attracts about 50,000 patrons annually and nearly 6000 entries in beef and dairy cattle, youth art, woodchopping, poultry, cake decorating, goats and sheep, as well as exhibits such as sheep shearing and milking cows.

The loss of other major shows made it difficult for the Hobart show because there would be a diminishing number of showbags and rides coming to Tasmania from interstate, Mr Gadd said.

“We are about to embark on a planning exercise with a special facilitator to see what changes we need to make to keep us relevant,” he said.

“We decided that the last thing we will do is shut the show, we will try everything possible before we do that be- cause that is our reason for being.

“We are committed to doing a 2018 show, but whether it is a four-day show is yet to be determined.”

Showmen’s Guild of Tasmania secretary Brett Alexander said it was great news that the show society was committed to a 2018 event.

“A lot of our members are small family businesses and to lose any show is quite devastating because that is a week without work,” he said.

“With the worries around the future of the Royal Launceston Show, it is good to see Hobart is going to give it a go, even if they do drop it to three days.”

The society has appointed two new skills-based directors — lawyer Greg Melick and tourism operator Richard Dax.

Mr Gadd said the society hoped to be marginally profitable in the 2017-18 financial year ending on March 31.

The society recorded a $326,000 loss in 2016-17, despite leasing land to Bunnings. That deal is worth about $426,000 a year — or more than $9 million across 25 years.

“Without that [Bunnings] deal we would not be here today,” he said.

Mr Gadd said business in the society’s Motorhome Park camping ground would determine whether a profit was made.

“Up until December it has been soft but we have got hopes that it will be strong in January, February and March,” he said.

The 2016-17 annual report also revealed significant liabilities of $4.4 million — $1.8 million of which were payable within a year.

Mr Gadd said there had been phenomenal increases in overheads such as council rates, electricity, insurance, water and in compliance costs.

“Every time we make a gain it is getting sucked out the door so it is an ongoing challenge,” he said.

The Mercury understands the Royal Launceston Show may also be revived in 2018.