‘A Permanent and Prominent Feature of the Show’: The Origins and Meanings of a District Exhibits Competition

Variously described as ‘the outstanding feature of the show’, the ‘finest … in Australia’ and ‘a breath-taking experience’, the district exhibits competition is a central and much-loved feature of the annual Brisbane Exhibition, Queensland’s premier agricultural show. Although the contest has attracted enthusiastic crowds and substantial media attention across more than a century, scholarly analysis has been limited. Yet, as other studies have demonstrated, exploring key aspects of the histories of agricultural shows not only provides insights into some of post-contact Australia’s oldest and most popular events, but also enriches our understanding of the ideas that have sustained and shaped our communities. This article contributes to that historiography through an analysis of the origins and subsequent meanings of the Brisbane district exhibits competition