IT is being hailed one of the best rural agriculture shows in the state and now Dirranbandi show is becoming a “Great Escape” holiday destination for people in the city.
The annual show will take place on Saturday April 22 and features everything from sheep, cattle, cotton and cooking while Alf Stewart, aka actor Ray Meagher, even paid a visit to last year’s event.
As an extra addition, the 2017 show also includes an opportunity to book on the Great Escape Package paid holiday to not only attend the show but see what the area is known for by visiting cotton crops, wineries and enjoying breakfast on the river.
On the morning of Friday April 21 guests will depart Brisbane and arrive in St George before travelling to Cubbie Station, the biggest irrigated cotton farm in the Southern Hemisphere, and enjoying a cold drink at Hebel Pub.
A BBQ dinner will be served at the Dirranbandi Show Grounds that night.
Saturday guests will have breakfast and a tour at Riversands Winery and travel onto the Dirranbandi Show to enjoy the day’s activities and the concert featuring Troy Cassar-Daley.
The final day, April 23, will include breakfast on the banks of the Balonne River before travelling to St George airport to return to Brisbane by midday.
So far 60 people have paid and booked for the trip.
Organiser Danny Sheehan said a smaller trip was organised last year and they had received a lot of interest to host another.
“People in the city, they hear about the bush but it’s not until they get out there that they go, ‘Wow’,” he said.
“It’s a whole lot more than expected.
“I just thought for one, you get people spending money in the towns...and also showcasing what western Queensland is all about.”
Show president Frank Deshon said people went to a lot of trouble putting on the show and their displays and the Great Escape Package was a great opportunity to showcase it to our city counterparts.
“It’s a big job to pull it all together and we are very lucky in Dirranbandi, we have a great lot of people who get in and help put the weekend together,” he said.
“We have got wheat and cotton competitions, horse competitions and yard dogs and the sheep and cattle as well and fashion parades and also entertainment throughout the day.
“We have made it (the Great Escape Package) a two day package so we can bring people out and give them a tour around other interesting places in the area and it’s a good opportunity to instill some financial gain into the area as well.”
The Great Escape Package costs $899 per person (single) or $849 per person (double/twin share).
Those wishing to attend the tour of Cubbie Station only are also welcome.
To make a booking call Danny Sheehan on 0409 638 765 or call Frank Deshon on 0428 250 968.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
