Show defies statewide fire threat

THE Bass Coast Wonthaggi Summer Agricultural Show pushed through on Saturday despite a statewide Total Fire Ban that forced exhibitors, judges and food vendors to withdraw.

Show secretary Rosemary Loughnan said organisers worked through multiple contingency plans as the fire situation escalated across Victoria.

“We’ve had to keep going through plan A, B, C, D, I think I’m up to about F,” Ms Loughnan said.

“We’ve had to reorganise things like our officials and judges.

“Four horse judges withdrew due to the weather and two girls from Bega pulled out because they were in a fire hotspot.”

A judge from north of Melbourne who needed to travel via the Hume Freeway to reach her property near Inverloch was also unable to attend due to road closures.

Ms Loughnan received numerous scratchings from exhibitors on Friday night as property owners refused to leave their homes with fires burning across the state.

“They’re not prepared to leave their properties to come away for a show, and I wouldn’t either,” she said.

The Total Fire Ban also impacted food vendors, with anyone using naked flames unable to cook.

Black Snake Productions, a highly anticipated attraction set to bring native animals and a snake pit display from Warburton, was also forced to cancel.

“He had to get all of his animals and reptiles off the property because it was on a one-way road and he couldn’t leave,” Ms Loughnan said.

“I don’t blame him.”

Despite the challenges, Ms Loughnan said the show attracted a strong crowd, partly due to conditions keeping people away from the beach.

“It’s not a beach day, so that probably gave us a bit more of a crowd because the beach is our enemy,” she said.

“If you’re down on holidays and you’ve got a chance to go to the beach, you go to the beach.

“The beach lost today and we might have won.”

Scorching temperatures in the days prior had also kept visitors away, while organisers battled strong winds throughout the day.

While Werribee Park cancelled its major horse show entirely on Saturday due to exhibitors coming from fire-affected areas north of Melbourne, Wonthaggi’s horse entries were up on last year.

“I think the bulk of them came from our side of Melbourne,” Ms Loughnan said.

The Ute and 4x4 Show was a success, along with the Flyball and working dog demonstrations.

Ms Loughnan said the poultry display was popular with families visiting from the city.

“It’s nice for the city kids to see the chooks because I don’t want them to think their eggs come out of a supermarket cabinet,” she said.

Ms Loughnan said despite the challenges, the show delivered.

“We’ve had a pretty strong crowd, which is amazing considering everything that’s happened,” she said.