Maleny Show Society - A Brief History
“Hard Luck ! Again spoilt by the rain”

The words of a “Visitor” in the May 15th, 1925 Maleny Show Supplement to the Nambour Chronicle have no doubt been echoed many times since.  You could almost say that the rubber boots and raincoats are as much a Maleny Show tradition as are the superb exhibits of livestock, produce and handicrafts.  For some time in the early settlement years the community came together in Walker’s paddock and later Dunlop’s paddock.

The first murmuring of a showground goes back to October 13th 1919 when the Maleny branch of of the Queensland farmer’s Union inquired if the Landsborough Shire Council would help them to procure a recreational reserve at Maleny.   Most towns had such a reserve gazetted when the town was gazetted but Maleny had been built on privately owned property.

Initially the move was to resume 12 acres of Dixson’s property, but on June 28th 1920 the Q.F.U. wrote to the Landsborough Shire Council advising that a future site had been chosen and the Maleny Recreation Grounds Committee asked the council to resume 20 acres of land from Sub 3 Por 1271 Parish of Maleny.   There were a few upsets in the following period, but the grounds were gazetted in 1922.

Early Show Ring

On July 22nd 1922 a public meeting with Councillor Tytherleeigh presiding and Mr. James Gibson as secretary convened and “in the opinion” of the meeting it was found “desirable” to form a Show and Recreation Society in Maleny.

A committee of 42 members was formed. Not too much has changed in this regard in Maleny, if nothing else form a committee.

The office bearers elected were: Patrons; G.H. Mackay Esq, MHR, and H.F. Walker Esq MLA; President Mr. Alex M. Hunt; Vice President A.C.K. Cooke, J. Nicol Robinson, A. Flemming, J. Tytherleigh and Robert Bryce. Mr C.H. Denning was secretary and Mr. G. Sutton treasurer.

Towards the end of 1923 the committee was reduced to 25 members.    Messers J. Grigon Snr, J. Nichol Robinson and A.M. Hunt were elected as trustees and an advance of 900 pounds was procured from the E.S. & A. Bank to carry out improvements.

There appears to have been considerable forward planning with the first being the levelling of the ring previously designed by the late W.H. Harder.

There was an allowance for the provision of a cricket pitch and a football oval.

The first show was held on June 26th and 27th, 1923 in pouring rain.    During this period facilities were sparse and the ladies of the district provided meals and refreshments from under a tent on the hill.

Using plans supplied by the Caboolture Show Society an industrial pavilion measuring 75 ft by 35ft was built.   This pavilion was near enough to completion to be used for the second show on April 23rd and 24th, 1924.   This show was financially a success putting Maleny on the Agricultural Show map.

Mr. A.J. Bryce was elected as the new president when the 1924 / 25 committee was elected.   With funds low it was decided that a District Queen competition be arranged to aid show funds.   Who was the first show Queen?

The first day of the third Maleny Show was held on Wednesday May 6th, 1925, but due to a “boisterous” downpour the second day was postponed until June 3rd.

By this time many improvements had been made to the ground.    Access from Maleny township was via a footbridge, and the first change to the grounds to meet the visitor was two tennis courts ready for top dressing.   A neat hardwood fence encircled the velvet green show ring with a moveable judges box in the centre.

Photo believed to be in  1920's

Photo of early Side Show Alley

When we think of the Maleny Show we think of the cattle, but the 1925 show gives us an insight into the varied produce from the area as well as the strong community support for arts, crafts and culinary skills.

There were indeed 52 articles of fruit, vegetables, grasses and seeds and there must have been twice that number in flowers then there were the jams, chutneys, needlework, cookery, cabinetwork, carpentry in JUST ONE entry – that entered by Mr. & Mrs. E. Smith and family.   One now wonders what has become of those now historic works of art.

Entries of chokos and sugar cane drew interest from the judges.

Unfortunately, the “Smoke Concert” was cancelled due to the weather and the stewards and judges met at the Maleny Hotel instead.    What was the “Smoke Concert” you may ask.    Well if you know I didn’t so I asked Mrs. Peg Burnett who is the receptacle of all knowledge of history – Maleny and she explained to me that it was a “gentlemen only” meeting at which they partook of pigs’ trotters, pickles, cheese and beer.

Sounds like a ritual that still is enjoyed in today’s world by some.

Local chemist, Mr. Wally Burnett was at one time president of the Maleny Show Society and during that time a number of bunya pine trees were planted around what is now known as the Aub Burgann Oval.    Later Wally Burnett went on to be a long standing president of the Royal National Society of Queensland (better known as the Brisbane Ekka) as well as a knight of the relm; Sir Walter Burnett.   He continued on during that time as patron of the Maleny Show Society.

Since inception of the Maleny Shows in 1919 there have been 15 years where a show was not held.   These “”no show” years were brought about by World Wars and the depression years.    2005 saw the 68th annual show.

Ironically, the 1952 show held very different memories to two Maleny families.   Tragically, one of the McCarthy boys drowned on his way home from the show.   He was crossing a log bridge over Obi Creek when he slipped in.  On the other hand the Johnston family welcomed the arrival of Winstone Johnston.   He was later to serve on the show committee for 15 years and served 8 terms as the President. During that time he was also a Landsborough Shire Councillor. (Landsborough Shire becoming Caloundra City Council during that time.)

During the period that Winstone served on the show committee, the 1980's much energy was spent in not only increasing the size of the landholding but improving all of the facilities within that landholding.    It was also during that time that Maleny township was sewered.    This brought both pain and gain to the showgrounds.  The sewerage ground works played havoc with the show grounds, but excess soil and rocks were used to expand the cattle and horse areas.    Those improvements proved a boon for the following years as the show patronage continued to grow.

The original show pavilion was renovated.   It is difficult to see the original old pavilion when you look at the present pavilion but the framework was retained.

The original floor bearers had been cut from tallowwood and ironbark.

Some of the bunya pines previously planted during the reign of Wally Burnett had to be removed during this period to allow for the necessary earthworks.

They were not wasted though as they were milled by local timber mill owner, Noel Keheler.  Those milled logs were used for shelving and benches in the new pavilion.  This retains some historic links with the old in the new pavilion.

The late Noel Keleher

Today the list of organizations and events held in the grounds is impressive.   The grounds are used extensively for sporting events such as cricket, football, soccer, tennis, skateboarding, equestrian events and many more.

Following Winstone Johnstone’s period of Show President his position was filled by Ivan Hankinson, also a member of a Maleny pioneering family.  Ivan has continued to expand the grounds but more than that he has ensured that the show program has also continued to meet the standards of today’s society.   A name change from “The Maleny Show” to “The Caloundra City Show” brings the country show to the notice of the rest of the Sunshine Coast.

The grounds is also the home of Maleny State Emergency Service Group, Rural Fire Brigade, Naval Cadet Unit, National Fitness and the Maleny Arts and Crafts Group.

The show pavilion is used for weddings, dances, birthdays and many other social events.

The present Maleny Show Grounds is indeed an impressive community asset, lovingly built over generations of Maleny residents.    Each generation playing their part in making sure the grounds are passed on in a better condition than when received.

As the years pass there is nothing surer than like the first show when rain disrupted proceedings there will be other disrupted shows but the spirit lives on.

Thanks to the memories of Mrs. Peg Burnett, Mrs Meg Hankinson and Mr. Winstone Johnstone for information used in this article.    This is only a very brief note on the history of the Maleny Show – much more has happened in the intervening years.    Unfortunately, much of this history is lost as one generation passes.

The Lawley Family connection with Maleny Show Society

(Photo Above   Ernest Lawley in  1951)		WHEN chief dairy steward Ed Lawley speaks quietly and with deep conviction about what is so special about the Caloundra Show it pays to listen.    Four generations of veneration for the land and for the traditions that have seen it breed some of the country's best milking stock.   The Lawley line is an unbroken link to the show itself .  There is a bloodline flowing back through his father Allan and his grandfather Ernest.   Great-grandad Edward settled in Maleny in 1893. The Lawley family is well respected for their fabled grand champion dairy breeder Lorna of Arley, first exhibited in 1922. Ernest Lawley then led the cow to Landsborough with a horse and cart laden with goods and feed.   They boarded the train and arrived in Brisbane at 4am.   Lorna produced 132 pounds of milk and 6.26 pounds of butterfat in 48 hours and was awarded Brisbane Royal butterfat champion. "Dad was very proud," said Allan, who remembers when his father got involved in the first Maleny Shows. The local Lawley family roots go back to the 165-acre Arley Farm bought in 1917.    Arley AIS stud was established the following year with 17 females and a bull.

"What is so special about this show?    You ask any visiting exhibitor who comes here and they will tell you that these grounds set in the green hills are the best in Australia," Ed said.

But there is a tinge of regret about the dairy rationalisations that have changed the farming landscape.   "This used to be all dairy around here, now there's only about 10 (dairy farmers).   And we're the only buggers with the rain!"

Ed Lawley is not only the chief dairy steward but was the building contractor for the present show pavillion which was completely renovated in time for the 1987 show.

The best little show around