Concern over show on road

WITH focus now on preparing for next year’s Launceston Show there are calls for it to be returned to the city.

The show, which was cancelled for a second year in a row, was to be held at Quercus Park in Carrick for the first time.

Launceston MLC Rosemary Armitage said while she appreciated it was hard for the show committee to find an appropriate spot there were possible alternative locations in Launceston such as Churchill Park.

“It’s a lovely idea to have something on the Agfest site in October, but I don’t know how you call it the Launceston Royal if it’s in Carrick,” she said.

“It disadvantages the young people the most, that perhaps don’t drive and can’t get out to Carrick, that’s who the show is really for.”

Launceston Show president Dale Beams said the previous site was not big enough.

“The area at Inveresk was getting smaller with different developments, making less area for the show and we couldn’t have as many exhibitors,” he said.

“We have looked at lots of sites in Launceston. Infrastructure is the biggest thing, power and space, and for some of those areas it’s not there.”

Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said he would also prefer for it to be held closer to the city.

“My preference would be for the show to be closer on an appropriate site,” he said.

“As council we have spoken to them about other sites and I think there are other locations they could use, but ultimately it’s the decision of the show committee.”

Organisers said they made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s show because of concerns about whether it would be financially viable because of Covid restrictions on attendance.

The show attracted more than 8000 attendees when it was last held.

Launceston resident Natasha

Beeton said it was too far travel to out to Carrick.

“I have a five-year-old granddaughter and teenagers and without a car you can’t get out there,” she said.

But another resident Lisa Hodgetts said Quercus Park was a better option.

“We live up in Mowbray so we get cars parked all down through Invermay and our area,” she said,

“Why wouldn’t you want to hold it at a bigger and better site?”

Another local Darren Clifford said it wouldn’t be an easy task to rebuild the show.

“I do think people would go out there to support it, if they can build it back up again. It’s not going to be an easy task, good luck to them,” he said.

Planning is under way for the two-day event at Quercus Park for next year.

“It does need to be in Launceston if we are trying to keep it going because it’s very easy for detractors to try and get rid of the show if it’s not in Launceston,” Ms Armitage said.