Our Story

Est. 1854

The Gawler A, H & F Society Inc (the Society) was first established in 1854, as the central point of a large agricultural district where the townspeople sought the opportunity to meet, celebrate and trade. The first Show highlighted the crop, sheep and other pastoral strengths associated with the region. The inaugural committee were highly regarded people in Gawler; several were local councillors and could see the merit of bringing a large festival to this region. Since this time the Society has grown in size and popularity.

Photo above: Gawler Main Street

Photo below: Local farmers inspecting machinary

The key aim was to host a community event for the first ever South Australian mainland country town, and this is still the paramount aim today. As a volunteer not for profit Society, we are blessed with the good nature of hundreds of people from around the district who donate their time, ability, and passion to assist with hosting South Australia’s largest country show. To enable this success, we recruit many local organisations and clubs to assist us in the lead up to and running of the event. These organisations benefit in return from a variety of incentives such as: financial remuneration by donation, marketing opportunities by being seen as being involved and in the overall good community spirit that is shared by so many.

While the Gawler Show is still about the variety of competitions based on Agriculture, Horticulture and Floriculture, it has also grown and adapted to continue to suit the requirements of people from all over the district. As the township of Gawler grew, its focus on agricultural pursuits has changed and the current Gawler Show goes to great lengths to incorporate educational elements to ensure the history and integrity of agricultural shows does not cease to exist.

Today, the annual Gawler Show is Gawler’s key tourism event and hosts a full weekend of fun and entertainment with a gate attendance of more than 30,000 people. The Gawler Show continues to go from strength to strength guided by a dedicated volunteer army of people displaying the great attributes of country life and living.

The Gawler Show provides a unique atmosphere while showcasing the best of South Australia with many activities on offer, including competitions to enter from the Ute muster to handicrafts, food and wine, show rides and showbags, market stalls, educational activities, entertainment from local, national and international backgrounds, and so much more.

Our vision is for the Gawler Show to be the Region’s premier Agricultural Show – by bringing communities together; by focusing on the continued growth and success of the Gawler Show; and by continually developing the Gawler Show as a world-class Agriculture and entertainment show every year.