THE NORTH PINE (NOW PINE RIVERS) SHOW
The annual Pine Rivers Show is held at the end of every July at the Lawnton Show Grounds. It is a highlight of the community and the kids of Petrie State School every year diligently, creatively and intelligently enter the competition and curate a visual display space alongside other schools in the district.
From Prep to the upper grades kids enter handwriting, colouring, projects, photography, art and models. And year to year they reap varying success which is often celebrated with a family trip to the show including rides, show bags, dagwood dogs, fairy floss and dusty ring events.
This is where the choir, strings ensemble and the band get to shine in competition performances and get their free afternoon at the show for their trouble. Quite often they win and get rave reviews.
In the past eras, girls might enter their sewing as well.
The first Pine Rivers Show, called the Moreton Show then, was held in 1891 and although there is no mention of school involvement in a formal sense, I am sure the children’s attendance with their parents was a large portion of the success of the day.
Moreton’s first show was held in the paddocks of Mr Alexander J Wyllie’s ‘Riverleigh’ property, where Wyllie Park is now, and incorporated the greater areas of North Pine including the School of Arts hall. It was coordinated by the Moreton Agricultural, Horticultural Industrial Association (formed in 1890 in North Pine/Petrie shortly after the School of Arts opened that year).
“The inaugural Pine Rivers Show was held at North Pine. Outdoor events were held in the paddocks of A.J. Wyllie’s ‘Riverleigh’ property, which now incorporates Wyllie Park. This show started a precedence of being officially opened by a prominent official. On this occasion, the Governor, Sir Henry Norman, conducted the official opening on 16 June 1891. This was unique in that it was the first official visit of any governor to the district. A general holiday was also declared.”
Source: ‘The Westerner’, Pine Rivers Show – A Community Affair, 9 August 2012, viewed 10 January 2014, http://www.thewesterner.com.au/Pages/article.aspx?ID=4521
This article from the ‘Brisbane Courier’ in 1891 narrated the event and gives us a broad insight into the farming life of the time. Beautiful weather facilitating a large audience for the fruit and vegetables, preserves, and the domestic arts that were on display alongside machinery and other elements of farming life in the North Pine district.
1891: THE MORETON SHOW
17 June 1892 (Wednesday)
FORMAL OPENING BY THE GOVERNOR
North Pine and its environs looked at their best yesterday, on the occasion of the first show under the auspices of the Moreton Agricultural, Horticultural, and Industrial Society. His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by his private secretary, the Hon A S Cowley (Minister for Lands), and Messrs John Donaldson, MLA and Mr P McLean (Under Secretary for Agriculture), left town by special train in charge of Mr J F Thallon, general traffic manager, at a quarter to 10, and arrived at North Pine before 11. They were met by Mr M Battersby, MLA for Moreton, and a number of leading residents of the district.
His Excellency and a few of the party were driven round the neighbourhood. The show was held in the School of Arts, and the adjoining grounds. The surroundings being most favourable there was a very large attendance – one thoroughly representative of the Moreton district, and including many visitors from Brisbane, the majority of whom arrived in the afternoon. The weather was all that could be desired – cool, bracing, and exhilarating, and the show could not have taken place under more favourable circumstances as far as climatic conditions were concerned. By midday the judging in the main building had so far proceeded that his Excellency was enabled to declare the show open, prior to which event the hon. Secretary of the society (Mr J Duffield) read an address, in which the Governor and Lady Norman were warmly welcomed back to Queensland. His Excellency remarked that he was extremely pleased his first visit to the Moreton district should have been attended with such pleasant conditions, and in declaring the show opened he wished it every success.
The arrangements as far as the exhibits were concerned were very satisfactory. Although there were a few hitches, they were such as might have been expected to attend a first attempt. The most serious of these was that there were no catalogues. The committee had hesitated to incur the expense of printing them, and as the large majority of the exhibits were not ticketed with the names of the owners, the public were at a loss to know how the awards were given. The judges were supplied with such manuscript copies as were available, but the absence of printed catalogues rendered their work more arduous than it might have been, and in most instances the returns were not handed in to the secretary until the show was over for the day. The hall itself looked particularly attractive. The front of the platform was decorated with a handsome collection of flowers – crotons, gold and silver ferns, choice begonias, roses, carnations, shade trees, etc., the exhibits of Mr P J Pluck, of the Albion nursery. One of the best features of the show was the vegetables. The exhibitors were numerous, and the collections extremely good. Fruit was largely represented, and there was a splendid collection of jams, honey, and jellies. Butter was also a strong line, the majority of the exhibits being made up in very tasteful shapes. The best of these was in the design of a basket of fruit. In saddlery there were only two exhibits, and colonial wine was represented by a solitary specimen, which the judge had no hesitation in setting on one side. Outside there was only one collection of agricultural implements, that shown by Mr Harcourt Turner, of Brisbane. The prizes in the poultry section were strongly competed for, and a handsome collection of canaries show by Mr J Taylor, of Brisbane won the encomiums of the judges, although no prize was offered. Many of the poultry exhibits were badly caged, some of the birds being put into rough backing boxes. Apart from the cruelty of keeping them confined so long in close quarters, their good qualities could hardly be fairly judged. The livestock exhibits were not numerous. The most interesting part of the proceedings to the spectators was the judging of the horses, but here again they were handicapped, as it was impossible to tell who were the exhibitors and what were the awards.
THE LUNCHEON
In a large marquee situated in the grounds situated in the grounds luncheon was served shortly after the show had been declared opened. Mr Battersby presided, and in addition to the members of the Ministerial party, there were present – Mr T Petrie, Mr Pinnock, PM, Mr Francis, PM, and a large company. The toast of “The Queen” having been honoured.
The Chairman proposed the health of the Governor, remarking that this was the first show which had ever been held in Moreton, and he trusted that the next would show marked progress.
His Excellency said it gave him very great pleasure to be there that day. He had been round the show, and although he could not answer for what Mr Cowley or Mr McLean might say, he could assure them that as far as his opinion went everything was excellent. The exhibits were more numerous than at shows he had seen which had far greater pretensions, and the quality seemed to very good indeed. He hoped they would continue to have shows in future years, as they had begun as well, and he trusted it would tend to the prosperity of the district. In some places shows clashed with each other, but he hoped each would not be the case here. If it were desire to have one at South Pine, he hoped it would be held in the proper time, and that it would be even more successful than that held that day. (Applause)
Mr A Bell proposed the toast of “The Ministry”. He said they were proud of the result of their first attempt to hold a show at Moreton, and the success which had attended it would not be the last they would achieve.
Mr Cowley, in responding, said the show which he then had the pleasure of attending was the best he had ever witnessed with the exception of that of the National Association. (Loud applause). He was speaking purely from an agricultural point of view. He regretted very much that there were no catalogues, because this detracted from the interest which was taken in the proceedings. The exhibits of farm produce were more numerous than at any show he had attended. The exhibits of farm produce were more numerous than at any show he had attended, and the quality was first-class. He knew it was a great deal easier to preach than to practice: but he had been twenty years an agriculturalist, and he knew something of the difficulties they had to contend with. He had had the pleasure of driving round the district that day, and he was assured they had all the elements of success in their neighbourhood. They had good land, although not in extensive areas. They seemed to have the right class of people, too – those who farmed small areas of land, and did it well. If they went on as they had begun, he could promise them their next who would surpass the present one. One piece of advice he would give them was this = let them try and make it local. He advised them not to encourage the class of professional showmen – men who bought, say, a first-class horse and travelled round the country from show to show scooping the pool. (Applause). Shows were not intended to encourage that sort of thing, because under such circumstances it was simply a matter of the longest purse. Another thing which he would like to see encouraged was the making of local implements. It was agriculture they must look to in the future for the success of the country. At the present time three fourths of their population were centred in the towns, and they were simply living on the country people. (Applause and laughter). The wealth of a country came either from the land or the sea, and as in Queensland the value of our fisheries was not great we need look to agriculture. At the present time we were importing produce to the extent of 200,000 or 300,000 pounds per annum, and that was a state of things which should not be allowed to continue. He hoped other districts would follow the example of the Moreton district, and give more attention to the agricultural products. In conclusion, Mr Cowley expressed regret at the absence of the Premier, who was very busy preparing for the opening of Parliament.
Mr R McGavin proposed the health of Mr John Donaldson, Leader of the Opposition, and fervently wished that he might long remain in his present position. (Laughter).
Mr Donaldson said as far as his personal convenience was concerned he echoed the wish of the proposer of the toast. He could assure them that at the present time the Parliament of Queensland have very heavy tasks in hand. Without touching upon any of the big questions which would agitate the public mind in the future, he might say that he believed Parliament was deserving of the support of all in the work about to be entered upon. He hoped they would not be found wanting when called upon to perform their duties. (Hear, hear).
This concluded the toast list. The Ministerial party returned to town early in the afternoon. The show will remain open today.
Source: 1891 ‘THE MORETON SHOW.’, The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), 17 June, p. 6, viewed 10 January, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3527469
The following year the school exhibits were mentioned as “being exceptionally neat and good”.
This ‘Brisbane Courier’ article gives a fantastic picture of the day and shows how things were built upon from the first show. Below is the excerpt regarding the children’s school work.
The entire article is too long to reproduce here, but if you are interested in reading the archived original you can access the TROVE article from here: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3544219
1892: EXCEPTIONALLY NEAT AND GOOD WORK
30 June 1892 (Thursday)
THE SHOW AT NORTH PINE
VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR
SPEECH BY SIR THOMAS MCILWRAITH
(BY OUR TRAVELLING REPORTER)
The second annual show, under the auspices of the Moreton Agricultural, Horticultural, and Industrial Association, was held at the North Pine yesterday.
…
The school exhibits are worthy of mention, all the work being exceptionally neat and good.
…
Source: 1892 ‘THE SHOW AT NORTH PINE.’, The Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), 30 June, p. 6, viewed 13 December, 2013, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3544219
1893 & 1894: There was major flooding in the region so there was no Moreton Show again until 1895
1895: FIRST SHOW AFTER 2 YEARS OF FLOODS
“During the 1893 August meeting of the Moreton Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Association North Pine, it was decided that due to the recent heavy floods throughout the district the community had decided not to hold their annual show. Although it looked promising that a show was again to be held around July 1894, the floods again prevented this. The final show of the 19th century deemed a success with 1000 people attending, again being opened by the Governor, Sir Henry Norman on 26 June 1895. It demonstrated the resilience of these country people who having recently experienced disastrous floods were able to display fine, local quality exhibits.”
Source: ‘The Westerner’, Pine Rivers Show – A Community Affair, 9 August 2012, viewed 10 January 2014, http://www.thewesterner.com.au/Pages/article.aspx?ID=4521
1908: NO SHOW FOR THIRTEEN YEARS
Heading into the 1900s there seemed no more show activity until thirteen years later:
“… a newspaper report in July 1908, maintained North Pine had not held a show for thirteen years (making the last show 1895). This was probably due to the hardship the farmers suffered as a result of the severe economic depression of the later years of the 19th century and the Federation Drought in the opening years of the 20th century. The community had more serious issues to concentrate on than a show. Thus 1908 was the first show of the 20th century. This show was not as successful as previous shows. It needed to contend with the challenges of an inexperienced committee, the recent hardship of the community and heavy rains and frosts which deterred a good display of produce.
Shows were held on an annual basis after 1908 until the present day with the exception of 1931. This involved the war years. According to reports, shows during that time were well attended with respectable entries despite the belief that the local men would be expected to contribute to the front. The success of each was also somewhat dependent on the weather and economic times.”
Source: ‘The Westerner’, Pine Rivers Show – A Community Affair, 9 August 2012, viewed 10 January 2014, http://www.thewesterner.com.au/Pages/article.aspx?ID=4521
1919 (Ca.): STUDENTS FROM NORTH PINE SHINE
“Mabel Skinner is now Mrs Albert Hart and is very well-known in the area. All of her children attended Petrie State School and a large number of her grandchildren were educated there. Mrs Hart is still living in Petrie and takes and active interest in the school and the community life of the area.
Jean McNamara (Nee Ebert) had a perfect attendance record at school lasting through her entire school life. Mrs McNamara even refused to have a day off to be bridesmaid for her sister. She went to school until the roll was called at 1:30, and with a car waiting for her she dashed off to the wedding. The Ebert family is another well know family in the district.
Both these women have donated their gold medals and a sewing sampler (the like of which is not see today) for display at the school. Mrs McNamara’s sampler received 1st prize at the Lawnton Show about 55 years ago.”
Petrie State School have upheld the yearly contribution to the displays at the Pine Rivers Show and in 2014 displayed the history for the 140 year celebration.
Below are samples of the school’s involvement in the Show in modern times:
1989: COLOURING-IN PRIZES
17 AUGUST – PETRIE LOG 89/14
PINE RIVERS SHOW: Petrie School children won prizes in the Pine Rivers Show Colouring In Competition.
2012: STRINGERS STRING AND SINGERS SING
“Last week the Senior Choir and the Senior String Ensemble performed at the Pine Rivers Show. As usual, reports were that they were impressive both in the way they performed and the way they behaved. Thank you to the parents who went along and assisted with supervision. Our Strings group received an Encouragement Award, and the Choir won First Place. Congratulations to both groups, and to Miss Rose and Mr Jarvela. We also had some excellent work exhibited by many of our students. We received a number of first, second and third prizes. Congratulations to these students, and to all who entered items for the display. I would also like to thank Mrs Campbell and Mrs Vanstrien who spent time setting up and taking down the display.”
– Linley Greenland, Deputy Principal
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 13/12, 9 August 2012, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Pine Rivers Show
The Senior String Ensemble and the Senior Choir competed in the Ellaways competition at the Pine Rivers Show last Friday. There are 6 awards given at the show – a first place and an encouragement award for the Choir Section, Band Section and the Strings Section. Petrie was given first place in the Choir Section and the Encouragement award in the String Section. The Petrie students were given high praise for their attentiveness to the teachers and how quietly and quickly they moved on and off stage. Well done to all performers!
Thanks also to all of the parents / grandparents and other family members who came along and supported our students throughout the competition. We loved having Prep A in the audience as well!
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 13/12, 9 August 2012, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
2013: PINE RIVERS SHOW – PETRIE STARS!
“A big congratulations to all of our wonderful students who had classroom work displayed in the Petrie State School exhibit. This is a great way to celebrate the great learning that is going on in every classroom, every day by all of our students. Mrs Campbell and the 6B students took out the Grand Champion class for their science exhibition and as a result, they have won for the school a Science Show valued at $500. Thanks so much to our parents and staff who spent much of Thursday designing our exhibit. Also, our P&C had a great weekend with the Café. Thanks to Lisa Bowen in leading the organisation of the Café and I know so many parents not only helped out in working over the 3 days, but also donated so many slices, cakes and biscuits. We have a great community at Petrie State School and the work over the weekend at the show is further proof of this.
I had so much positive feedback from Parents within the community on how great our Choir and Band performed on Friday. The tears were flowing with joy and pride.”
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 12/13, 7 August 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Pine Rivers Show
Last week the Senior Singers and the Band performed at the Pine Rivers Show. As usual, they were impressive both in the way they performed and the way they behaved. Thank you to the parents who went along and assisted with supervision. Our Band won first place, and the Singers’ performance was amazing. Congratulations to both groups, and to Miss Rose and Mrs Jarvela. We also had some excellent work exhibited by many of our students. We received a number of first, second and third prizes. Congratulations to these students, and to all who entered items for the display. I would also like to thank Mrs Campbell and who spent time setting up and taking down the display.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 12/13, 7 August 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Pine Rivers Show
Last Friday the Concert Band and the Senior Singers competed in the Ellaways music competition at the Pine Rivers Show. Both groups performed beautifully with the Concert Band winning first place in the competition. Congratulations to Mrs Jarvela and the Band students.
Thanks to all of the parents and extended family members who came along to support our school in the competition.
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 12/13, 7 August 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Pine Rivers Show – Petrie School Display
Over the weekend, The Pine Rivers Show was held at Lawnton. It was wonderful to see so many families walk through the Petrie State School display which featured samples of student work across the year levels. Many of our students were awarded placings for art, craft, photography, science, hand-writing and colouring-in. These are now on display in the office foyer and in the school library.
Students from 6B entered their science and technology games boards into the science display which could be viewed in the education pavilion. To our great delight, 6B was awarded the overall champion class project. We look forward to term 4 when we will take part in a $500 Street Science science show!
Michelle Campbell 6B teacher
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 12/13, 7 August 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014
Pine Rivers Show
The following adjudication has just been received from the Pine Rivers Show.
Concert Band
Loved the uniforms! Champion Saxes and Trombones gave great depth to all 3 songs. Having the different sections stand and giving them a chance to feature was genius. The second song including the euphonium was well executed and enjoyable. A terrific and sophisticated performance from such a young group. Congratulations to you all!
Senior Singers
Unaccompanied piece very well done with hand and feet movements, so very well-practised, added depth to this polished performance. The part singing was most effective.
The second song provided a good contrast to the first. The expression throughout was excellent and the discipline and enjoyment evident in this group made for a fine performance.
Lollipop – another change in tempo. The children’s obvious enjoyment of this number was contagious. They are naturals.
This is a school that takes its music seriously and guess what? It shows! Well done, congratulations to you all.
Merle Maiden
Source: ‘Petrie Log’ Newsletter, 15/13, 18 September 2013, Petrie State School, http://www.petriess.eq.edu.au, Accessed 16 September 2014