Fears 144th Royal Launceston Show could be its last

Set to be held over the coming days at the Launceston Showgrounds, there are concerns that the 2017 Royal Launceston Show might be the last.

The 144th Show, running from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th October, has been facing rising costs and falling attendance (down from about 30,000 several decades ago to a low of about 9,000 last year) and will lose its venue at Inveresk when the University of Tasmania moves its campus there.

The Royal National Agricultural and Pastoral Society of Tasmania Limited (RNAPS) President Jock Gibson said it would be a great loss to the community if the show did not continue.

Gibson told the ABC “the repercussions of losing the local show is going to be huge throughout the local area, even for the other country shows - they're all going to suffer if we don't survive," he said.

He said the future of the show would depend on more people attending this year, with organisers hoping that the event will attract between 12,000 and 15,000 showgoers.

Gibson added “it's vitally important to us.

"I mean, if people don't come in the gate then we won't be having a show next year. That's the basic facts of it.

"It's going to take a lot of money to move, and that's why we need to know that the people want a show, because there's no point spending a million dollars to develop a new area and the public are not going to support it."

RNAPS is also apparently considering merging with other smaller local shows.

The Society has been running the annual event since 1873. Since 1984, that event has been called The Royal Launceston Show following the granting of a Royal decree. 

Image courtesy of the Royal Launceston Show/Facebook.

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