The first "Ekka" was held at
Bowen Park in 1876. The site, still used by the Ekka today, was then on the outskirts of
Brisbane .
The Alfred Shaw & Co stand with it's grandiose display of "
Brisbane,
Melbourne & London". Apparently the windmill, pictured below, was one of many diifernet designs imported by the company and was used to power much of the machinery on display. A windmill was to be used as a company logo in Queensland appearing in much of the advertising and in miniature on the roof of company buildings.
Alfred Shaw & Co at the Ekka
Alfred Shaw & Co, Queen, Adelaide and Creek streets, Brisbane
The Ekka is Queensland's largest annual event with recent shows drawing more than 400,000 visitors. It aims to showcase Queensland culture, produce, resources and initiatives. This is done through a range of competitions, award ceremonies, exhibits, educational displays, animal and performances. There is a sideshow alley, showbag pavilion, numerous food and beverage outlets and a range of entertainment including nightly fireworks displays. It typically starts on a Friday in August and continues for 10 days to close on a Sunday.
Note also the newly built Royal Brisbane Hospital behind the windmill
The significance of the first exhibition held in 1876 was described by locals as the most important event since the separation of Queensland from New South Wales in 1859.
The first show, held between 22–26 August 1876, attracted 17,000 visitors. The centrepiece of the grounds was the timber exhibition building which housed 1,700 individual exhibits in total. One of the first popular attractions was a timber
bridge built by saw-miller William Pettigrew. The show was a spin-off from the famous International Exhibitions being held in Britain and worldwide dating from the Crystal Palace Exhibition of 1851.
John MacDonald Stand Brisbane RNA grounds, Ekka
A new grandstand designed by Claude William Chambers was open for the 1906 show. It was later named the
John Macdonald Stand in recognition of a long-serving member of the Royal National Association. In 1920, the show was visited by King Edward VIII who was asked and gave permission for the name of the association to change to the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland.
During a time when the Ekka was still
young, the main purpose of the agricultural show, as its name suggests, was to show off many agricultural and industrial exhibits. It was a chance for people to show off newly invented agricultural and industrial devices such as ultra modern ploughing, sowing and harvesting artifacts.
Chocolate Wheel at the Ambulance stall, Exhibition Ground, Brisbane, 1938
The Grand Parade at the Royal Agricultural Show in Brisbane, 1966
The Premier of Queensland, Mr F. Nicklin inspects a polled hereford cow at the 1966 Ekka
Cattle and other
farm animals were also exhibited during the show, a practice that remains to this day, the animal nursery is still a place for children and adults alike to go and witness all the baby animals in all their glory. Since its opening, the show has only been cancelled twice, in 1919 throughout the time of the Spanish flu pandemic, during this time, the grounds were employed as temporary hospital wards for the sick, and in 1942, due to World War II.
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