In a Show committee meeting mid-winter last year, Mairi mentioned an opportunity to volunteer at the Royal Easter Show’s Big Bush BBQ. Without checking calendars, 14 of us put our hands up—only later realizing we’d signed away our Good Friday.
The incentive was substantial: a minimum $6,000 guarantee for the Show coffers, making it a valuable fundraiser for our local event.
The week before was a flurry of WhatsApp messages sorting logistics—train times, forgotten KV Show shirts in packed garages, and hunting down aprons from storage.
“It’s going to be a hot day,” warned Kathy in the group chat, with Stephen reminding everyone: “Don’t forget your pinny or apron.”
What we thought would be a leisurely day with time to explore the Show turned into non-stop action from 9am until after 4pm. The team didn’t get a break, serving an estimated 1,500 sausages until the last one sold at 4:12pm.
With a soundtrack of classic hits from the “Big Bush BBQ” Spotify playlist keeping spirits high, our Valley crew was praised as “the most efficient team yet.” The only critique? Our dancing skills apparently didn’t measure up to the previous day’s performers!
Show Secretary Mairi Langton deserves special credit for her outstanding organisation. As Stephen noted afterwards: “Well done everyone and sincere thanks for such an outstanding effort. Special thanks to Mairi for getting us all organised.”
Mairi herself acknowledged the tremendous work involved: “A special thanks to those who had a very early start to travel and be there by 8:30am! A sterling effort and then to repeat the return journey after eight hours of peeling, cutting, grilling, tonging, registering, serving, squeezing, spruiking, cleaning, washing, mopping and laughing!”
Honorary committee members Simon and Bob received particular praise, with Mairi describing their “methodology of grilling sausages and cooking onions” as “sheer poetry.”
The team narrowly missed an encounter with Peter Dutton, who was spotted on ABC news flipping sausages at the same BBQ the following day. “That would have been interesting…” was the general consensus.
While the final tally isn’t in yet, it seems the hard-working crew might bring home even more than the guaranteed $6,000 for the Show coffers—not a bad day’s work for a bunch who didn’t hesitate to put their hand up and give away their Easter Friday holiday!
KV Show returns to the FIG Farmers Market this month with a special stall celebrating Mothers Day.
Julie Ward
