Dear valued Member,
As 2022 comes to an end, the Cairns Show Association would like to extend a warm thank you for your continued support and contribution. Without our Members, we wouldn’t be able to hold our annual Cairns Show, Cairns Show Wine Awards or Cairns Show Auto Spectacular.
We take this time to reflect on the year gone by with our Year in Review newsletter. Read the highlights below.
The Cairns Show Office will be closed from Monday 19th December 2022, and will reopen Tuesday 3rd January 2023 – Have a wonderful festive season!
Download your FREE Cairns Show Association 2023 Calendar!
Regards, Ian Allen – President, Cairns Show Association
2023 Cairns Show Association Membership
Enjoy Exclusive Member Discounts, Benefits & Deals!
New ShowTime Membership only $55 – Valid as a 3 Day Pass to the Cairns Show*
Become a Member, or Renew your Membership today and enjoy the full Benefits of the Cairns Show.
- Escape the crowd, escape the heat, your Membership allows you access to the air-conditioned De Jarlais Member’s Pavilion along with;
- 3 DAY ACCESS TO THE CAIRNS SHOW – no longer available as a regular Ticket!
- VIP entrance into the Cairns Show with no wait times.
- View of the Main Arena Entertainment – where all the action happens, including the incredible Fireworks display!
- Buffet style food selection and discounted beverages.
- Private toilets and changeroom station.
- Exclusive Member’s deals from Exhibitors at the Cairns Show – from toys, to produce, confectionery, accessories and more!
- Discounted Tickets to the Cairns Show Wine Awards and the Cairns Show Auto Spectacular!
- AND SO MUCH MORE!
*Terms and Conditions apply. Membership will not be available for purchase after 14th July 2023.
Cairns Show
The next Cairns Show will be held on the 19th, 20th and 21st of July 2023!
Australia’s Largest, Regional, Agricultural Show, The Cairns Show, returned for it’s 131st year in 2022, with more smiles, improved attendance, and greater success. Over the 3 days of the Cairns Show from 13th-15th July, we saw:
- 69, 691 people come through the gates (a significant improvement from the 2021 COVID Show)
- $30 million estimated return to the Cairns and Far North Queensland Communities
- Approximately 4, 250 competitors across 32 competition sections
- Over 130 Local Exhibitors
- The Cairns Show Association was a State Finalist and awarded Runner Up for Best Innovation in a Local Event for our
- new AG-Venture ‘Farming for Future’ at the 2022 Queensland Shows Awards.
- Our Committee Member, Nathan Lee Long, was nominated for the Emerging Leader award at the Queensland Shows Awards.
- Our Committee Member, Glenda McAuliffe, was nominated for the Outstanding Individual Contribution award at the Queensland Shows Awards.
Cairns Show Wine Awards
To examine wine quality and style in the contact of a tropical location
Judging for the next Cairns Show Wine Awards will be held from 21st – 23rd June 2023, with Public Tasting held on the 24th in the De Jarlais Function Centre.
The 2023 Cairns Show Wine Awards was the 30th year running. The Wine Awards consists of 2 days Judging fine wines from our Australian Wineries and an enjoyable Saturday afternoon for the Sponsors and Public to taste the many award winning styles . The Judges of wine at the Annual Cairns Show Wine Awards are mainly wine makers and experienced judges from wine regions across southern Australia. Judging of over 500 wines this year ran over a 2 day period.
The judging is done with the food matching in mind. If you seek a wine to match your planned meal, take a look at the results of the 2023 Wine Award entries www.cairnswineawards.com.au and seek a winning wine to match your dish of food!\
Success in the Cairns Show Wine Awards is a great indicator of the wines that will be enjoyed across the northern half of Australia especially in hot and humid weather.
Cairns Show Auto Spectacular
Pure Motoring Entertainment
The next Cairns Show Auto Spectacular will be held on the 14th & 15th of October 2022.
After 6 years of bad weather events, COVID related restrictions, and other regulations, the Cairns Show Auto Spectacular presented by BIG Electrics finally made its return in 2022. Thankfully, with the help and support of the community, the Auto Spec. Over the 2 days of the Auto Spec from 14th-16th October, we saw:
- 240 Entrants competed in the Show & Shine, Go to Whoa, Motorkhana Time Trials, and DYNO.
- Approximately 5,500 spectators!
- Over 70 category winners! Congratulations to our top competitors, Luke Mitchell (Grand Champion), Rob Wilkins (Top Judged Car of Show), Judith Menso (People’s Choice Award), FNQ MotorSports Club (Best Presented Club Display), and Kevin Couper (Best Presented Individual Display). View the Full Results.
2022 Ambassadors
Thank you to our 2022 Cairns Show Ambassadors:
Shynade Smith (Cairns Showgirl), Tatum Taffs (Cairns Show Rural Ambassador), and Jacy Evans (Cairns Show Young Rural Ambassador).
Throughout 2022, our Ambassadors have been hard at work promoting the Cairns Show and Agricultural Industries by participating in workshops, parades and race days, as well as actively posting on social media and attending various events around FNQ.
Thinking of becoming an Ambassador or know of a young individual passionate about Agriculture and the Show Industry? 2023 Ambassador Applications open soon!
2023 Committee
Join us in congratulating our appointed 2023 Cairns Show Association Committee:
Ian Allen, Des Tong, Narelle Phipps, Chris Van Dorssen, Linda Halliwell, Bevan Clayton, Glen Hunter, Ley James, Nathan Lee Long, Carol Allen, Kent Hams, Les Plath, Danny Sale, Michael Tonion, Louis Underwood, Jan Anderson, Michael Fischer, Belinda Flynn, David Green, Dean Hoult, Amanda Hunter, Glenda McAuliffe, Warren March, Rob O’Malley, Michael Pattini, Bryan Poppett, Bill Smith, Christine Stoddart, Robert Stoddart.
Thank you to all who attended the Annual General Meeting held on the 25th November 2022.
Cairns Showground Events
External Events on the Grounds
The Cairns Showground is placed among 17 hectares of land, only minutes from the Cairns CBD. Offering a variety of halls, pavilions and outdoor spaces the Cairns Showgrounds versatility ensures that we have the ability to host almost any event on the grounds. From concerts, to weddings, corporate events, special occasions and celebrations, the Cairns Showgrounds is home to some of FNQ’s largest events, including:
- Red Hot Summer Tour
- The Grass is Greener (Cairns)
- Cairns Expo (Home & Lifestyle)
- Skywhales (Cairns Art Gallery for the Cairns Festival)
- BLA Youth & Careers Expo
- Regional Disability Expo
- Craft Alive Expo
- Joy to the World Cairns Community Christmas Carols
- Hit Far North Queensland Cavalcade of Lights
A Tribute to the Man with the “Golden Microphone”
Clive Gordon – 1934-2022
Honourary Historian and Patron of the Cairns Show Association – 2011-2022
If someone wanted to know the name of a jockey, the horse, or how high it jumped, Clive was the man to call. His knowledge was phenomenal!
“Clive used to tell me that he was bottle fed on the Show circuit” – Bluey Forsyth
The Ring Announcer for 30 years, even when he was retired, never missed the Cairns Show. A beloved and well respected Show and Equestrian Patron, Life Member, and Racing Steward, Clive will always be remembered at his second home – the Cairns Showgrounds.
