I’M ON my annual rant about the Fraser Coast Show holiday. I make no apology until someone sets me straight.

Whilst it is a cute nod to a cherished tradition, surely it raises significant concern about its economic impact on our region.

It is probably costing our community a bucketload of money.

While I totally get the history and community spirit of the Show, I question the necessity of maintaining a public holiday to mark all its splendour.

The vast exodus across the Fraser Coast Show holiday weekend suggests it might actually detract from the local economic activity rather than bolster it. 

As residents flock elsewhere, spending their holiday dollars outside our community, the supposed local economic benefits of the holiday seem illusory.

Furthermore, for businesses that remain open, the day is marred by heightened staff costs due to holiday pay rates, squeezing their margins even tighter.

Our region grapples with eleven public holidays annually, and it seems the Fraser Coast Show holiday could be a candidate for reconsideration.

Recognising the importance of our historical agricultural show needs to be balanced between celebrating heritage and inadvertently hampering our local economy. We need to consider a fresh approach.

It’s time for a candid discussion about the true cost and benefits of the Fraser Coast Show holiday.

I write about this every year, and I never receive any economic data or Letters to the Editor, suggesting I have it all wrong.

Is it merely a nostalgic gesture, or does it have tangible value for our community today?

The answer may shape the future of how we honour and engage with the Show.

Your thoughts and feedback are crucial—please share your views by email or on our Facebook page.

The show must always go on, but for me, the holiday benefit is a myth.