Thousands of city and country folk have come together for the first weekend of Brisbane’s Ekka Royal Queensland Show.
More than 550 exhibitor stands showcased some of Australia’s finest produce from native flowers and bees to beef cattle and show ponies.
Dagwood dogs, strawberry sundaes and carnival rides have decked out the Brisbane Showground’s Sideshow Alley.
Interior designer Erica Richardson travelled from Harlin, 27 kilometres west of Kilcoy, to showcase native plants.
“It’s been 10 years since I’ve been to the Ekka,” Ms Richardson said.
“It is great to see so many people interested in native plants and seeing the importance of native wildlife and bees, and seeing them interact together.”
Brisbane Ekka welcomed more than 40,000 visitors on its opening day on Saturday.
The exhibition was attended by 345,000 visitors in 2022 after it was forced shut for two years by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Champion bull crowned
Cattle, horses, poultry and dogs are among the animals being judged at this year’s Royal Queensland Show.
Stock agent Vince O’Brien from Toogoolawah said he was most looking forward the crowning of Australia’s top bulls.
“There’ll be showing the best exhibits of every breed… to decide the champion of champions,” Mr O’Brien said.
More than 1,100 beef cattle have been paraded around the grassy Main Arena amphitheatre across the weekend as part of one of Australia’s largest annual cattle competitions.
Truro Sherlock took out the crown for top stud bull on Saturday to the delight of Moree’s Scotty and Pip Hann.
“It’s still sinking in to be honest,” Mr Hann said, who reared the bull.
“It happens once a year and there’s a pile of cattle you’re competing against – you’ve got to get through all your breeds.”
Where city and country meet
Mr Hann said he was enjoying the “affinity” between city and country people at the Ekka, and the opportunity share his love for cattle.
“There’s not too many people who don’t love animals,” he said.
“The people who come through the shed here to see our stock … there’s not much different, [the cattle] are just bigger.
“The same as you do a dog – we feed them, we water them, we make sure they have an environment they want to be in.
“These animals become like a big pet.”
Ekka’s volunteer program manager Erin Peters says hundreds of local volunteers were lending a hand across the exhibition.
“There’s great community engagement, [volunteers can] talk to people and be part of the fun of the show,” she said.
Ms Peters said many volunteers, including tourism and hospitality students, were enjoying the behind-the-scene “backstage” elements of the show.
More than 1,700 Ekka sundae volunteers are expected to hand out over 130,000 strawberry sundaes across the week.
ABC Radio Brisbane is at the Ekka all week! Come say hi to us at the Agricultural Education Hall.
