Major community event
Long regarded as a successful agricultural and horticultural show, the Neerim District Show has seen many changes over its 102-year history.
The show is a major festival for the Neerim District and provides many activities for the local community and its visitors to the district to enjoy with attracting families very much at the forefront of its programming.
The first show held by the Neerim District Agricultural and Horticultural Society was in 1907. It was called the Neerim District Show and was run over three days under the guidance of first Society president N J Davey and first secretary Phillip Knight.
Initially the Show mostly comprised of school work and poultry, with all the harness events held in the main street of Neerim South and the horse events in Mrs. Aucterlonies’s paddock. Flowers and cookery competitions were held in the Mechanics Institute (which was back then located next to the pre-school) and then later on in W. Stephen’s paddock.
In the early 1920’s the show had become such a success that they ran a special train out from Warragul. This cost the Society 16 pound. This train carried passengers, stock and exhibits to the show grounds.
In 1925, 16 acres of land was purchased from W Stephens at 45 pounds per acre and was financed by debentures at five pounds each. First trustees were J Swaffield, G Notman and T Algie, but only three or four debentures of all that were taken out, were ever claimed back from the Society.
There was no show held in 1927 following the devastating bushfires of 1926 in the district.
In 1929 electricity was connected the show grounds and later concrete sheds and showers, paid for by the Show Society, Neerim District Football and the grounds committee, the show was also very successful around this time and they were able to pay off the monies owing on the land.
In 1961 it was moved to transfer the land to the crown so that grants could be applied for.
Further land was purchased in 1963 from J W Dawson and a further section was rented from H Price to give a northern entrance from the Main Road and in 1972 arena lights were installed. A fat cattle section along with Pony Club events were held prior to the show, and this proved very successful.
However, during the late 70s the show was unable to secure a land lease from H Price and was forced to move the show from Neerim South to its current location at the Recreation Reserve.
The Show has continued to re-invent itself year after year by combining traditional show activities and competitions with crowd pleasing new and interesting events
The Neerim District Agricultural and Horticultural Society has a proud history. It became the first Society to hold a Show on a Saturday in 1928 and continued its proud traditions, also becoming the first Society to have three father-son as president (E Kelliher Snr and his son Teddy, DP Kelliher Snr and his son David with C Mc Gillivray and his son Don).
It also became the first Society in Victoria to have pure bred Charolias exhibited on the ground and the first Society to have eight different beef breeds exhibited in one day.
Beef cattle competitions returned to Neerim in 2015 after a 10 year absence.