General News
3 February, 2026
Show society seeks assurance on upgrade
QUESTIONS are being asked about whether Tablelands Regional Council is still going to fund a promised upgrade to the Malanda showground’s cattle yards, with show society representatives putting forward their case in a recent deputation.
Show society president Greg English outlined the difficulties the group has experienced since the sudden closure of the Patrick English Pavilion by the council just before the 2024 Malanda Show.
Because of the closure, the society has struggled financially and could not see how they could fund a much-needed upgrade to the cattle yards and the replacement of a roof, estimated to cost $450,000.
Mr English told the council the project was listed on the council’s 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24 10-year capital budgets but because the council no longer released the details of its long-term capital works, the society had sought clarification from chief executive officer Nikola Stepanov as to whether it was still on the list.
“We were told at this meeting that she was unaware of any money budgeted for the Malanda showgrounds cattle yards in previous years’ budgets,” Mr English said.
The cattle yards were not only used for the three-day annual show but acted as a transit yard servicing the beef and dairy producers all year round making it a vital facility for the livestock sector of the TRC, he told council.
In 2022, a B Double permit was obtained, allowing legal entry into the showground enabling safe and practical transportation of cattle to the JBS meatworks in Townsville.
“These yards are the primary offloading centre for cattle arriving from southern areas. Apart from the B Double service, these yards are also used during the annual Beef Handling and Judging School and the annual Dairy Youth Camp as well as the Better Beef Open Days, cattle sales and the Malanda Bull Ride,” Mr English said.
“These yards are the only facility of their type and are heavily relied upon by all beef and dairy producers within the TRC.”
With the show society believing the council was going to fund the upgrade to the yards and roof replacement, it had not “been at the top of the show society’s to-do list” and many other projects had been financed and completed by the organisation including a new main ticket office, the installation of the B Double loading ramp, fit out of the kitchen, the purchase and installation of a cold room in the Supper Room, replacements and upgrades to the dairy sheds and horse stables, new cattle wash bays, other repairs and new lights throughout all dairy cattle and beef sheds.
“We are continuously carrying out upgrades, repairs and maintenance to our facilities but due to the high cost of a roof replacement, we are unable to fund this improvement,” Mr English told the council.
“At the meeting with the TRC CEO in August 2025, it was suggested that the TRC may be able to loan us the funds for this improvement, however due the impact of the extra costs incurred due to pavilion and supper room closure, our financial future is going to be tight and any surplus funds that we have invested will need to be maintained for operating capital.
“For the 2022 and 2023 Shows, we averaged a profit of approximately $50,000 each year across all events and therefore the loss of $19,519 in 2025 was financially unacceptable.”
Mr English said that due to the pavilion and supper room closure, which housed the only disabled toilet, the society had incurred major additional costs.
“For the 2024 Show, we were fortunate to have the use of the power supply that is situated at the pavilion but this was not possible for the 2025 Show,” he said.
“The combination of the extra costs for generators and lighting, combined with the necessity of hiring of portaloos and disabled portaloos has had a huge impact on our 2025 financial results.
“The money that is being wasted on hiring equipment is stupid beyond belief.
“Between the show and the bull ride, we are spending between $15,000-$20,000 annually on hiring toilets alone.
“Surely this money would be better spent paying off a loan to build permanent structures, like new cattle yards, and adequate toilet and shower facilities, on the show grounds.”
Mr English noted that the society would continue to have a major loss of revenue until the new Multi-Purpose Community Facility was built, noting that the sudden closure of the pavilion was still being felt.
“We still have been given no indication of if or when we are able to retrieve our equipment from the pavilion valued in excess of $150,000, the condition of which will have deteriorated significantly,” he added.
The council did not provide Mr English with any information regarding the promised upgrade of the cattle yards or the possibility of building new toilets at the grounds after his deputation.
