WAUCHOPE SHOW SOCIETY HISTORY

One hundred and twenty years ago a move was made to establish a show within the Hastings region of NSW.  The first edition of the Port Macquarie News and Hastings District Advocate, published in July 1882, gives a report of two letters referring to this organisation. The combined effort of Port Macquarie and Wauchope resulted in the first show being held in 1884.

Wauchope branched out on it's own in 1910, and Port Macquarie disbanded at the beginning of World War 1.

The names of some of the first committee men were: Hibbard, Spence, Ruthven, Buttler, McIvor, Lyons, Andrews, Hill, McInherney, Bain, Marriott, O'Neill, Dick and others.

Back Row: Messrs. Bill Bain, A.B. Campbell, Harry Trotter, George Calov, George Trotter, E. Suters, Brigden, J. Warrell, M. Coombes.

Front Row: Messrs. Nicholas Cain, A. Wade, J. Rowsell (President) N. J. Lindsay, L. Summerville.

1884: The first Show was held on Jail Hill. The twisted fig tree on the corner of Stewart Street marks the spot where the pedestrian entrance gate was situated.

8th June 1906: Mr. Duncan Bain, before leaving for Sydney for medical attention, made an offer to his friend, Mr. N.J. Lindsay, to sell — for the sum of 5/- — an area of land for the Show ground.

Mr Duncan Bain

The necessary papers were prepared and signed by D. Bain and W. Suters with C.E. Wright and N.J. Lindsay 

as witnesses. Mr. George Andrews, Mr. George Campbell Linsdsay and Mr. William Suters were nominated as 

Trustees.

6th July 1906: Mr Bain died in Sydney before the transfer was completed.

22nd May 1910: William Bain and Margret Campbell Bain, the executors, honoured the agreement and the land 

was handed over to the Trustees. It consisted of 14 acres 1 rod of the 2,560 acre "Letterewe" Estate. 

Thus, the Wauchope Pastoral & Agricultural Society came into being.

2nd February 1953: Four blocks were purchased from the Bain Brothers for $400.

31st March 1960: At the 50th Annual Show, Bain Brothers handed over the deeds for additional land, 

making the total area 18 acres.

WAUCHOPE SHOW SOCIETY PAST PRESIDENTS

JRowsell 1910 - 11	H Suters 1911 - 12	W J Andrews 1912 - 13	A Wade 1913 - 15	G C Lindsay 1915 - 17	H Trotter 1917 - 21
S R Andrews 1921 - 25	E Suters 1925 - 32	R N Shaw 1945 - 49	G J Smith 1942 - 45	F G Hollis 1945 - 49	L L Steel 1949 - 56

Over many years, the Wauchope Show Society has carried out many improvements to the Wauchope Show Grounds.  Please click here to view some of them