Thousands turn out for day of fun and entertainment at 64th Collie Show

It was a day of fun and entertainment for many families on Saturday as the Collie Show returned. Thousands went through the gates at Wallsend Showgrounds for the one-day event, the first since the Collie Agricultural Society decided to move the show from its traditional date in late-November to October. President Carol Gale she said was “really pleased” with the amount of entries received for the pavilion competitions. Fine weather conditions ensured showgoers did not have to contend with the elements, with morning crowds up on those from 2023. For the show itself, Ms Gale said there were queues outside the gates, with residents and visitors lining up to get the show experience. “The people on the gates (were) really under the pump... so we really appreciate their support because we have volunteers and volunteer groups manning the gates for us,” she said. Each year’s Collie Show has a different theme, with this year’s being Baby Farm Animals. Alongside the sideshow alley, stalls and free entertainment, there were plenty of agricultural activities on offer, ranging from the poultry exhibit to roving sheep making their way around the grounds guided by working dogs. Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns officially opened the show and congratulated the society on its efforts. “Pulling a show like this together isn’t easy and I know it’s a lot of months of planning and a lot of weeks of sleepless nights to make sure that it all gets pulled together,” she said. Ms Gale said the society was open to new volunteers for next year’s show. “Whether you can give us a few hours, a few days or a few weeks of the year, we would love to see you,” she said. “We’ll encourage you to be a part of the team and maybe enter your own work (in the exhibition) that you’ve got at home.”