CEO Update: December 2024

12 Dec 2024 / Melbourne Royal News

As we approach the festive season, it is an opportunity to reflect and celebrate our 2024 achievements and in doing so acknowledge and thank those who have assisted us during the year.

2024 has been a very successful year for Melbourne Royal and our achievements have been made possible due to the incredible support, passion, and commitment of those involved in our organisation. I sincerely thank everyone who has contributed throughout 2024 including Melbourne Royal Directors and staff, Competitive Sections Committees, Industry Advisory Groups, along with members, exhibitors, volunteers, sponsors, suppliers and service providers, and the wider Victorian community who attend our events. Your support, interest and involvement in Melbourne Royal events, awards and venues is highly valued and very much appreciated.

I take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge Noelene King OAM, who recently retired from the Melbourne Royal Board. Noelene joined the Board in 2011 and over the past 13 years she has made a significant contribution to Melbourne Royal as a non-executive Director.

Noelene’s involvement with the Melbourne Royal, and in particular the Show, spans more than 50 years with a keen interest in the cattle section. Noelene is a Life Councillor, Honorary Life Member and served on the Beef Cattle Competition Committee from 2001 to 2020 of which she was Chair for 14 years. Noelene’s considerable service devoted to Melbourne Royal and more broadly Victorian agricultural Shows has been remarkable and her dedication, passion and energy will serve as great inspiration to future leaders.

On behalf of the Melbourne Royal Board, management and staff, I thank Noelene for her support, counsel, involvement and incredible contribution and we look forward to Noelene continuing to attend Melbourne Royal events for many years to come including the 2025 Melbourne Royal Show.

In August this year, Jason Ronald OAM, chose not to stand for re-election as a Melbourne Royal Board Director. I once again thank Jason for his significant contribution to Melbourne Royal over more than 50 years, including as a Director on the Melbourne Royal Board from 2009 to 2024.

Melbourne Royal’s world class awards programs that celebrate excellence in food and beverages continue to grow and deliver extraordinary value for producers. This year we received a record 6550 entries across our awards - beer, wine, distilled spirits and food.

In the lead up to Christmas, it is fabulous to see so many trophy and medal winners from the 2024 Melbourne Royal Food and Beverage Awards Program proudly displaying the Melbourne Royal seal of excellence medal on their products and on advertising. Most notably is Coles Supermarkets advertising the Melbourne Royal gold medal winning ham for Christmas - Beechwood Double Smoked Half Leg Ham (Shank).

If you are looking for last minute gift ideas or something special to enjoy with family and friends during the festive season, I suggest you consider trophy and medal winning products and produce from the 2024 Awards. A couple of suggestions are listed below or for more products visit melbourneroyal.com.au

Drinks
  • Sparkling - Pirie Sparkling Vintage 2020, Brown Family Wine Group. Winner of the 2024 Dr Tony Jordan Trophy for Best Sparkling.
  • Red wine - Kelly’s Reserve Pinot Noir, 2023, Home Hill Wines. Winner of The James Halliday Trophy for Best Pinot Noir) or 2023 Shiraz, Four Winds Vineyard (Winner of the Trevor Mast Trophy for Best Shiraz and winner of The Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy for Best Young Red)
  • White wine - Kirrihill Regional Series Clare Riesling, 2023, Kirrihill Wines. Winner Best Riesling and great value at only RRP $19
  • Whisky - Kestrel, Bellarine Distillery, Victoria. Winner Best Single Malt Whisky.
  • Brandy - St Agnes XO Grand Reserve, St Agnes Distillery, South Australia. Winner 2024 Best Brandy.
  • Gin - Australian Dry Gin, Travelling While Standing Still, Victoria. Winner 2024 Champion Victorian Gin
  • Rum - The Double Ton, Nil Desperandum. Winner Raymond B ‘Spike’ Desert III Trophy for Best Rum
  • Limoncello - Little Cello, Little Juniper Distilling, South Australia.
  • Beer - Dollar Bill Brewing, Ballarat. Winner of the 2024 Australian Gypsy Brewer Award, winner of Champion Australian Beer and Best Fruit Beer Award in 2023 for their Candy Paint 2023 Barrel Aged Sour Ale
Food
  • Ham - Boneless Leg Ham, Peter Bouchier, Victoria or the Leg Ham Boneless Griffin Morris Village Butchers, Victoria, Winner of the Best in Class – Best Ham as well as the Champion Victorian Smallgoods Producer
  • Pâté - Mushroom Pâté, Crackling Smallgoods, Victoria, Winner of the Best in Class – Best Pate or Terrine
  • Cheese - Shadows of Blue, Tarago Cheese, Victoria, Winner of the Best in Class – Best Blue Cheese
  • Gelato - Banana Gelato, Gelato Gelato, Victoria, Winner of the Champion Australian Small Dairy Producer

We have had another record year for Melbourne Showgrounds being the venue of choice for events, exhibitions, tradeshows, festivals and functions. I thank all our venue clients for choosing to hold their events at Melbourne Showgrounds, many for the first time this year including but not limited to: Dogs and Cat Lovers Festival, FutureAg Expo, Art of the Brick (an International Lego Exhibition), Motors and Masterpieces exhibition, GABS Festival, and Dairy Australia’s Grand Dairy Awards.

Victoria Pavilion at Melbourne Showgrounds is the venue of choice for a number of schools to hold their valedictory dinners for up to 1000 guests and I particularly thank the following schools for holding their end of year valedictory dinners this year: Methodist Ladies College (MLC), St Bernard's College, Ave Maria College, Penleigh & Essendon Grammar, and Suzanne Corey High School.

Melbourne Royal has great service providers and preferred suppliers and sponsors that assist us deliver successful events at Melbourne Showgrounds. I particularly thank and acknowledge our Hospitality partner, Dean & McPherson along with Encore Event Technologies, and Cirka our venue presentation partner. All three venue partners have contributed significantly to assisting Melbourne Royal elevating our venue offering and experience.

We are proud that Melbourne Showgrounds remains a hub for industries, communities, and creativity, and we look forward to many more memorable events being held at the venue in 2025, starting with:

Happy Holidays!

The festive season is a valuable opportunity for all of us to reflect, relax, celebrate and refresh in readiness for an exciting and successful 2025.

The Melbourne Royal team are taking time off from Thursday 19 December 2024 to enjoy the Christmas and New Year period with family and friends and will progressively return to work from Monday 13 January 2025.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope that you enjoy the summer holidays with family and friends and the new year is full of joy and happiness.

 

Brad Jenkins,
CEO