By Sheree Hoddinett
It’s showtime! Behind the scenes of the upcoming Pine Rivers Show, you’ll find Gwen Wiringa hard at work. She has lived and breathed show life since 1974 and loved every minute of it. Although now officially ‘retired’ from working with the Show Association, that doesn’t mean Gwen’s sitting back and taking it easy. In fact, she’s still very much a part of this year’s Show and you may just be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her if you head along for this year’s fun and festivities on July 29, 30 and 31.
For Gwen and her husband Ben, their association with the Pine Rivers Show initially started with an entry in the flower section followed by a request to help out.
“My husband was a keen gardener and he put some flowers in the floral art section and won a prize,” Gwen says. “We also happened to know people through the school P & C, and they just asked us if we’d like to be involved and that’s how it all got underway.”
Although helping out here and there for many years and also tackling the role of the needlework Steward for a short period, Gwen returned in a more serious role in the early 2000s. At the request of Show Association President at the time, Gwen was asked if she wanted to work two hours a day in the office.
“I couldn’t see how you’d get two hours work a day, but it soon occupied the whole week and my time,” Gwen says. “I’m officially retired now, and younger people have taken over which is great to see.”
This year Gwen will be helping wherever she’s needed, as well as assisting the Treasurer and other money related duties. She also often fields phone calls with questions relating to the history of the Show, which is no surprise given how long she’s been involved. But does Gwen have a favourite memory?
“The Show has always been focused on family and getting schools involved,” Gwen says. “We had a few people who put a lot of effort into organising School bands and choir competitions as well as our School’s pavilion. Brian Andrews and Lorraine Perry were instrumental in that and that really gave the Show a boost with the involvement of the younger generation. It’s been great to watch that evolve and grow.
“The importance in a place like the showground, is the ability to liaise with people and to always be ready to change. It’s really about coordinating everybody and listening to everybody’s view.”
After major disruptions last year thanks to a Covid lockdown, Gwen can’t wait for this year’s Show to open for the community. Visitors can expect a few changes and lots of fun and excitement including fireworks, miniature goats, a rodeo, and the all-important wood chop competition. Gwen has also been going through pieces of Show history to put together a display.
“We have come across some interesting things from around the time of the First World War,” Gwen says. “Provisions for stalls and to feed the volunteers and they were getting six hams, six dozen bread loaves, 28 pound of butter, 60 pounds of block cake, that sort of thing. That was from around 1915. They also ended up running sports for the war effort. Then after the war they got together and had some memorial gates erected at the front of the showground. They have now been moved up to the RSL at Kallangur. There is a lot of history there. You drive past and don’t think a lot happens at the showground but every day it’s busy with something going on.”
Join in the fun and festivities at the 2022 Pine Rivers Show held July 29, 30 and 31 at 757 Gympie Road, Lawnton. Ticket prices are $15 adults, $10 pensioners/high school students and primary school age children are free. Gates open 9am daily with free entry on the Friday until 3pm.
For further information visit https://pineriversshow.org.au
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