By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
DOVETON’S annual show may be downsized due to a dire lack of volunteers.
The show, a low-cost alternative to the Royal Melbourne Show, attracted 15,000 visitors to Myuna Farm last year.
However, volunteer numbers have dropped to about 20 for next month’s show – some 40 short of the minimum number needed for a fully-fledged show.
Committee member Margaret Fairhurst said the volunteers onboard would need to work harder.
“We’d never close it down but we would have to reduce its opening hours or find some way to make it do-able,” she said.
Ms Fairhurst said the show also needed sponsors, given the uncertainty over Casey Council’s funding. The council’s Neighbourhood Renewal grant funding, which has supported the show for seven years, came to an end in 2011.
Casey’s sport and leisure manager Richard Amon said he couldn’t reveal the value of the council’s in-kind support this year as it was considered during a closed ‘in-camera’ meeting.
Show committee chairwoman Pam Sutton said it “would be devastating for our community to lose this event due [to] a lack of support”.
“It offers many of the best bits of the Melbourne Show, however it is put on by the community for local families and prices are kept very low.”
The show usually includes rides, showbags, farm animals, stalls, train rides and entertainment.
Entry is by gold-coin donation, compared to $59 for a family ticket at this year’s Royal Melbourne Show.
Ms Fairhurst said volunteers didn’t need specialised skills and roles included announcers, ride supervisors, ticket sellers, marquee set-up and people to wear mascot costumes.
Doveton Show is at Myuna Farm, Kidds Road from 10am-4pm on Sunday, September 23. To help, contact the show committee on 0478154828 or info@dovetonshow.org.au or register at dovetonshow.org.au.
