CEO Update: September 2024

This year, there are new incredible attractions and entertainment, more farm experiences and animals, and greater value with loads of free things to see, do, taste, discover and experience. By day, enjoy family fun and farm adventures and by night, indulge in delicious food and fantastic evening entertainment, including spectacular fireworks!

Here are my top 10 suggestions for you to see, do and experience at the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show:

1. Visit the Animal Nursery and get up close and pat farm animals and check out the virtual magic of the Immersive Farm Experience that has been produced to celebrate 60 years since this popular attraction first opened.
2. Take a seat in the Cirka Grandstand and watch the new ultimate high-flying and agility canine show - Sushi Hub Superdog Spectacular!
3. Cheer on the stars of the Show – the thousands of animals and competitors vying to win a coveted Melbourne Royal blue ribbon – from cattle, sheep, and alpacas to horses in action, championship dogs and woodchoppers, and marvel at the creative talents on display in the Spotlight Makers Pavilion.
4. Watch majestic Clydesdales working on the lawn outside the Ponies & Farm Play pavilion and watch farriers in action as they show off their blacksmithing skills.
5. Take a seat at the Arena around 8pm and enjoy all-new After Dark entertainment to light up your night with country music artists and the Fire & Light Show that features spectacular fireworks choreographed to music!
6. Be entertained in the new Kids Theatre. There are 11 live shows and performances every day including Sesame Street, Paw Patrol and more!
7. Watch the amazing all-new FMX & BMX Stunt Show featuring motorbikes and BMX riders performing gravity-defying stunts.
8. You are not going to go hungry as there’s more delicious food on offer this year than ever before including my favourites Sushi Hub (located in Graze) and Wonder Pies (located under the Pie in the Sky), plus, check out the all-new Good Fortune Garden for Asian-inspired specialities. There are plenty of outlets serving fabulous St Remio Coffee and all your Coca-Cola favourites, including mine, Mount Franklin Sparkling Water.
9. Enjoy the thrills and excitement of the carnival rides, including the all-new Skyflyer XXL, the tallest ride ever to come to Australia!
10. Wander through one of the world’s largest Showbag Pavilions, you’re sure to find a showbag or two you like, there’s more than 350 different varieties to choose from to take home.

To plan your day, visit royalshow.com.au and use the new interactive map to help navigate your way around the Showgrounds.

The true stars of the Show are the animals and their handlers all vying to win a coveted Melbourne Royal blue ribbon, from livestock and their handlers to show horses and their champion riders, and the championship dogs and their owners. From the most intricate creations of the Art, Craft & Cookery entrants and the strength and skill of the woodchoppers all striving to claim a Melbourne Royal blue ribbon. I wish all exhibitors and competitors the best of luck in their pursuit of winning Best in Show. This year, Melbourne Royal is proudly celebrating 90 years since the Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout was held in honour of the late Violet Murrell, and her beloved steed Garryowen. The Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout will be held at the Arena on Friday 4 October.

We are committed to improving the Melbourne Royal Show for visitors and all involved. This year we have amplified our focus on improving the event experience for people with a disability through the provision of a range of bespoke facilities, amenities and services including:

• Installation of 46 accessible car spaces,
• Enhancing the ONCALL Sensory Lounge to provide a welcoming, serviced quiet and sensory room space for patrons, and
• Being a Sunflower-friendly major event partner to provide support to patrons with a non-visible or hidden disability. 
• This year we are pleased to support Backpacks 4 VIC Kids - the Official Charity Partner for the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show. Backpacks 4 VIC Kids is an Australian charity providing essential material aid to displaced children.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely heavily on the volunteers who generously provide their valuable time, knowledge and expertise to assist us to plan and deliver the Melbourne Royal Show. We are incredibly grateful to all our volunteers for their assistance, support and involvement.

We are particularly grateful to members of our Show Competitions Committees who volunteer their valuable time and countless hours to assist us in developing and delivering quality agricultural and leisure interest competitions and importantly provide wonderful support, counsel and advice.

It wouldn’t be possible to deliver a successful Show without our wonderful partners and sponsors. We are most grateful for the support and involvement of:

Principal Partner and Major Sponsors - Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Metro Trains, Sushi Hub
Government Partner –Agriculture Victoria
Media Broadcast Partner - Nine Network, Herald Sun and KIIS FM
Sponsors - Spotlight, National Storage, Kubota, PURA, Wonder Pies, St Remio Coffee, LifeWise Pet Food, Select Events, Cirka, Racing Victoria’s Off The Track Program, Highpoint

We are incredibly grateful for support we receive for the much-loved Melbourne Royal Show from the Victorian community. Thank you to everyone who has already secured tickets and taken advantage of the Early Bird savings. We trust you will have a fun and enjoyable day out with family and/or friends. If you have not got your admission tickets yet, visit royalshow.com.au and I recommend you add a Rides Pass to your cart and enjoy saving up to 25% on rides.

Melbourne Royal Membership is the best-value way to experience the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show. We thank all our members for their support this year and we trust you will enjoy great value and benefit from your Melbourne Royal Membership.

If you’re not a Melbourne Royal Member, there is still time for you to join. As a valued member, you can enjoy complimentary admission for you and a guest to the Show as well as discounted car parking at Flemington Racecourse, access to Members’ dining and hospitality areas, priority entry to the Animal Nursery and reserved seating in the Cirka Grandstand and at the Arena to enjoy the spectacular entertainment every day and night. To join today, simply visit melbourneroyal.com.au/membership and complete the online application or alternatively, telephone 03 92817444.

The Melbourne Royal Show is a remarkable much-loved Victorian major event that brings the community together to celebrate agriculture – producers, products and produce - from rural and regional Victoria to greater Melbourne, it’s for all Victorians.

For the very young to the young at heart, and whether you reside in the city or the country, the Melbourne Royal Show has thousands of activities, sights, sounds, tastes and experiences to excite, enthral and entertain you this year. The Melbourne Royal Show is where smiles and happy memories are made and may the Show bring much community joy and happiness again this year.

Thank you for your interest, involvement and support and we trust you and your family, friends and colleagues have a most enjoyable experience at the 2024 Melbourne Royal Show.

 

Brad Jenkins

Chief Executive

Melbourne Royal