EVERY year on the last Saturday of the October school holidays, the small country town of Waroona comes alive with one of the biggest and friendliest one-day agricultural shows in Australia.
For more than 10 months a small committee of volunteers from the Waroona Agricultural Society (Inc) - locals of different backgrounds and skills - works together to create a wonderful showcase of agriculture, craft, produce, machinery, stalls, sideshow alley, horse events and fundraising opportunities for local community groups.
The fun-filled show day always wraps with the spectacular fireworks, sponsored for the 90th show by Alcoa of Australia.
This wonderful community-driven annual event started in 1925 and although much has changed over the years, at the heart of the day is the local community spirit and agriculture.
Each year the Waroona Show attracts bigger crowds to enjoy a taste of country life.
The last show in 2019 attracted more than 19,500 people.
The Waroona Agricultural Society committee attributed these figures to understanding what people want to see at a country show and encouraging younger committee members to positively contribute their ideas resulting in such a success.
Younger committee members were encouraged to invent new classes for entries in the halls, provide input into trending features and displays and source entertainment for the day.
The committee also invite younger community-minded teenagers to join as stewards, starting as young as 14 years of age.
There are a diverse range of ages on the committee - aged 19 through to 88 years - with all ages equally respected for their input and contribution.
The strength and success of the Waroona Show relies strongly on the volunteers of which more than 300 contribute to the day's success.
Representatives from the two local schools and volunteer bushfire brigade man the gates, acting as a fundraiser for these groups.
The local Lions and Leos Clubs run the well-known Lions train, animal nursery and local favourite eatery, Jim's Kitchen.
The Yarloop CWA ladies cater for the official lunch and local church groups offer a good, old-fashioned Devonshire tea and sandwiches on show day.
In 2019 Locals' Lane was introduced.
It is an area of pop up stalls with local products and crafts for sale.
The show aims to involve local businesses and community groups as much as possible. DeRosa's Highway Motors has featured as a trade stall for more than 50 years.
Many other local businesses have been part of the Waroona Show for many years and the committee truly appreciates their continued support.
The Waroona Show is the only agricultural show in the Peel, with many people living in the region either driving down or over to Waroona while others catch the Australind train and take the short walk to the showgrounds.
The Recreation Centre carpark has a free park 'n' ride bus shuttle service to the gates at the southern end of the showgrounds, allowing attendees to be instantly enthralled by the free family entertainment area with Redz Zoo2U, Circus Challenge, Old Macdonald's Farm and plenty of natural shade under the trees.
The Men's Shed is also near Locals' Lane, with this area specially created for families to enjoy as a rest spot when arriving or before leaving, but most importantly it offers parents a spot to sit while children are entertained at no charge, with the area also having a family-friendly toilet.
Our Funland has been created for the younger families with plenty of rides and games for younger children, undercover seating, food vans and the sponsored Fruitico Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots is full of ride-on toys, play sets, sand play, puzzles and many other free toys for the kids to enjoy.
The Waroona Show sideshow alley offers amazing rides and games and caters for all ages and levels of courage and bravery.
The town oval becomes not only a horse arena with horses in action, carriage and six bar jumps competition and breeding horses - it's also a food truck alley with a variety of multicultural and Australian foods, main stage entertainment, shaded tables and chairs, children's free entertainment tent, adventure land and a shaded sand play area.
This is also the best viewing spot for the fireworks which start at 8pm.
The Memorial Hall showcases local talent with entries of fruit, vegetables, Italian sausages, eggs, preserves and honey, art and craft, cooking, homecrafts, woodwork, flowers and plants and people of all districts are invited to enter.
The fire station turns into the Children's Hall and is colourful with everything creative that a child can do.
Another area of the fire station becomes Photography Hall.
In every spare space there is a market stall, showbag van or food truck all with a variety of goods.
From 10am showgoers can sit awhile to admire the skill and strength of the log chop participants.
There is a large Poultry Shed with water fowl on display with their very own paddling pool while further on is the Stud Cattle section showcasing quiet cattle and friendly miniature breeds.
It is here you will find very gentle cattle with owners sleeping by their sides in swags the night before, showing just how loved these cattle are.
When the stud cattle judging is over, the grassed area turns into a dog trial area where some very clever kelpies will amaze you with their sheep handling skills.
Walk a little further on from this area to see the trade cattle and live cattle auction.
There is always a competition to be had here with the 'Guess the Weight of the Steer' and the chance to win $500.
The Walmsley Pavilion becomes the show's gourmet escape with wine and produce to taste and buy.
Be sure to add the Farm Shed and History Shed to your show experience.
The Farm Shed was created in 2019 and offers an interactive look at sheep shearing, wool spinning, Friesian calves, drone footage of dairy, sheep and hay farming in Waroona and even a dog at work.
There are also many interactive games for the younger kids and sensory buckets of farm produce with hidden toy farm animals.
An old Massey Ferguson tractor has been set up on display for families to sit on and take photos.
New for the 90th show is the history display with old farm equipment and machinery displays and a replica set up of an old house and some clothing from the 1880s on display.
You will also find a display from Waroona's local Historical Society and the Light Horseman Brigade.
Next door is the Lion's Animal Nursery with many baby animals to hold and cuddle and maybe feed.
There are competitions in the way of banners, showing life in Waroona and an intergenerational display of what one family can produce and create within its extended family from its land and house.
The RAC helicopter experience will be part of the show and this is a wonderful opportunity to fully appreciate just how valuable this service is to the region.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services will also have a display of interactive activities alongside the Waroona Bushfire Brigade trucks and equipment.
The committee endeavours to have entertainment all day on the main stage to entice people to stay longer and enjoy the atmosphere, taste something different from the food trucks, listen to the band and then look to the skies for the fireworks.
The Waroona Show is the largest single event in the shire and is the single biggest fundraising event in the year for local community groups.
The Waroona Agricultural Society Inc invites you to go to waroonashow.com.au to enter some of its competitions.
Head along and be part of a friendly community for the day on Saturday, October 9.
Gates open at 8am and close at 9pm.
Discount tickets are available online and there are many competitions on local radio and via its Facebook page to win family passes to the Waroona Show.
