Geelong Showgrounds

The Geelong Showgrounds are the home of the Royal Geelong Show in the city of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The Royal Geelong Show is an agricultural show held every year since 1855.cite journal |last=Aitken |first=Richard |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1978 |month=September |title=Horses, Shows and Trains |journal=Investigator |volume=13 |issue=3 |pages=79–93 |id= |url= |accessdate= |quote= ] , the current showgrounds being located in the suburb of Breakwater.

The focus of the Geelong Show is the display of rural industry, including livestock and produce, with associated competitions and awards. The show also features amusement rides, a sideshow alley, and showbags, carry bags full of goodies produced by various commercial enterprises.

History

The Geelong and Western District Agricultural and Horticultural Society was formed in February 1855. The first showgrounds site was in East Geelong, south of Eastern Park, and was bounded by Ryrie, Garden, Myers and Normanby Streets. The second showgrounds opened in October 1891, on a new site that ran south from Ormond Road to St Albans Road. A 40 metre long wooden grandstand was provided on this side.

In 1907 the showgrounds was again moved, this time to the new Geelong Racecourse. April 14 1907 saw the grandstand transported from the old site by Messrs McCoy and Son. Weighing 100 tonnes, it was moved as a whole by a traction engine across the Queenscliff railway line after being placed onto 52 large rollers.cite book
last = Begg
first = Peter
title = Geelong - The First 150 Years
publisher = Globe Press
date = 1990
isbn = 0-9592863-5-7 ] The stand remained at the current racecourse until at least the early 1990s.

The agricultural society shared the Geelong Racecourse until 1954 when it moved to the current site.

Official Site

[http://www.geelongshow.org.au/ Geelong Agricultural and Pastoral Society Victoria]

References