Daylesford museum is supporting Daylesford Agricultural Society to mark their 150th Show. The history of the Daylesford Agricultural Show will be the focus of a new exhibition opening at the Daylesford Museum this Saturday (October 19).
It is 160 years since the Glenlyon, Franklin and Daylesford Agricultural Society was formed in July, 1864. The Society’s first Annual Exhibition of grain, farm produce and livestock was held on Friday, 17th March, 1865, at Jamison’s Family Hotel Yard (later the Raglan Hotel).
Newspaper reports of the first exhibition commended the quality, if not the quantity of the produce entries.
“There was not a large display of samples, but generally speaking, they were meritorious.”
“The show of potatoes was very limited, but included two capital samples—that of the silver-skin lumpers belonging to Mr. W. Smith being particularly admired.”
“A few pieces of bacon, cured in the neighbourhood, gave promise of future excellence in this line.” and “The dalry department was not only the best represented, but the most creditable to the district.”
The Society purchased two acres on the corner of Knox Street and Castlemaine Road (now the Midland Highway) opposite the Farmers Arms Hotel and the second show was held there on Wednesday, 21st March, 1866. Mr. Joseph Parker was the first show secretary and held that position for a number of years.
In addition to prduce exhibits, a ploughing competition was also held in these early years.
In 1906 the name of the Society was changed to the Daylesford Agricultural Society and the annual show was moved to November.
No shows were held during the World War I from 1915 to 1918. The first show after the war, the 51st in 1919, was also the last held on the Knox Street site.
By 1920, the Society had purchased 11.5 at the north end of Smith Street. The 52nd show was held there at the newly developed Middleton Park on Wednesday, 27th November, 1920. The name had changed again to Daylesford and District Agricultural Society, the name the society still retains.
Shows were held at Middleton Park until 1943 but no shows held for the remainder of World War II or in the years immediately after the War. In 1948, the 76th show was held on Saturday, November 27th at its new site at Victoria Park, developed with the help of the then Borough of Daylesford Council.
The fourth Saturday in November is now the permanent date of the show. The Centenary of Foundation was celebrated at the 93rd show in 1965. In 1972 the 100th show was held and was opened by the then Governor of Victoria, Sir Rohan Delacombe.
Many successful shows have been held since then and more improvements have been made at Victoria Park. The Victoria Park Pavilion opened in 2016 and has become the site of homecraft exhibits.
Over the years, the types of competition events offered have varied, reflecting the changing wishes of the exhibitors.
Mark your diaries and make sure you don’t miss the 150th Daylesford Show at Victoria Park on Saturday, November 23rd. Gates open at 9:00 am.
For more information about the Daylesford Agricultural Show, visit their website. Schedules for this year’s show will be available at: https://daylesfordshow.com/wp-content/uploads/Show-Schedule-2024-V10-web.pdf
And be sure to visit the Daylesford Museum to see their historical exhibition about the Daylesford Show. Historic images, trophies and memorabilia will be on display.
