About Us
The Kiama Show Society has a long and rich history of community involvement.
The Kiama Show is our largest event each year, but we also put on other events and participate in other community events. This includes our Show Ball and Trivia Night and we participate in other community events as well.
The Kiama Showground is located right beside Kiama’s Surf Beach and is one of the most picturesque showgrounds in Australia with breathtaking views to the Blowhole in the north and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on three sides.
The Kiama Show is a place where families can simultaneously enjoy the seaside atmosphere, stunning views and Kiama rural life.
Established on 24th November 1848, the Kiama Show Society is one of the five oldest Agricultural Show Societies still in existence in Australia.
The Kiama Show Society Committee
The Kiama Show Society is a volunteer community organisation. The Committee has approximately 50 members who attend regular meetings throughout the year to organise our events.
The Kiama Show Society committee and their families come from all aspects of the Kiama community - farmers, business people, school teachers, students, and retirees. It is a non-profit organisation - any money made from one show is spent on the production of the next. The aim of the Society and the show itself is to provide good quality family entertainment and exhibition. The crowds who stream through the gates from the Illawarra region, Sydney and interstate each year demonstrate the Kiama Show’s success.
Historical Timeline
Courtesy of Karen Beasley
1821 - first Agricultural Society of NSW established in Van Dieman’s Land
1822 - January first Australian agricultural show held in Hobart. Agricultural Society of NSW formed six months later.
1823 - first agricultural show held on the mainland, Oct 9 1823 at Parramatta.
1829 - township of Kiama proclaimed.
1839 - Kiama township surveyed.
1848 - Kiama Agricultural and Horticultural Show Society formed
1849 - first Kiama Agricultural and Horticultural show held February 1849 at Fitzroy Inn (rear of allotment adjoining harbour water reserve and Collins Street).
1857 - 100 ft long show pavilion erected in Market Square, site of present Post Office.
1858 - Kiama Examiner began publication.
1859 - Kiama proclaimed a municipality. Show committee member, James Colley, elected mayor.
1863 - Kiama Independent began publication.
1877 - Market Square site needed for post office. Kiama Show moved to Blow Hole Point
1886 - Blow Hole Point was required for a lighthouse. A new 11 acre showground site was purchased at Long Brush.
1893 - Sydney rail line extended to Nowra.
1896 - Kiama Show committee made a deputation to Minister for Lands, requesting permission to use Crown Land at Church Point as a showground.
1897 - first Kiama Show held at Church Point (Present Kiama Showground site).
1898 - Norfolk Island Pines, procured from NSW Department of Agriculture, planted on eastern side of showground.
1908 - 26 August Government Gazette Notice dedicated Church Point for Public Recreation and showground.
1916 - 1917 Kiama Showground taken over by Department of Defence.
1936 - February Kiama Council became Trustees of Church Point.
1938 - 29 August Kiama Showground Pavilion razed to ground by fire.
1939 -18 March plan for new pavilion - intended to be finished for 1940 show. World War II began.
1944 - Patriotic Show held at Kiama Showground with no pavilion or ring. Poultry shed housed secretary and pavilion exhibits until 1967 show.
1948 - Kiama Centenary Show.
1963 - First Kiama Showgirl Competition.
1966 - 12 August new Kiama Showground Pavilion opened by Kiama Mayor J. Pearce.
1967 - first show in new Kiama Showground Pavilion.
1996 – Kiama Show Society 100 years at Kiama Showground
1998 - Kiama Show Society’s Sesquicentenary show.
2009 - New Kiama Showground Pavilion opened.
2010 – first show at current Kiama Showground Pavilion.
2011 - 4 November Showground stand named “Allan Norman Stand”
2012 - Australian Year of the Farmer
2013 - 165 years of the Kiama Show Society and 50 years of the Kiama Showgirl Competition.