Newcastle Show

The Newcastle Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Association was formed on April 5, 1899. A secretary appointed in May at £2 a week lasted barely a month, departing in June with £8. A special lease secured a showground at a modest annual rent, and the first event—a Sports Day in early 1901—featured crowd-pleasers such as “Cutting the Boar’s Head,” “Alarm Races” and “Wrestling on Horseback.” The first show later that year was an immediate success, drawing an unexpectedly large crowd of 20,000 over two days and raising about £820. The Newcastle Show grew steadily in popularity across the Hunter Valley, with strong community support and significant sponsorship, including a record $91,000 in 1983.