The Sale and District Agricultural Society has a long and proud history of fostering and supporting all aspects of local and regional life, culture, sport and recreation.
Our Vision is to provide Sale and District residents with a venue and events worthy of National recognition with emphasis on traditional agricultural values, interests, skills and the country way of life.
The Sale Showgrounds is home to a large number of wonderful heritage Elms and has been the venue for many significant community events and community groups, including our own annual agricultural Show, Elms Classic Showjumping and other showjumping activities, Pony Club, the Sale City Rollers and a monthly Producer’s Market. Patrons may also choose to visit and dine at the Sale Greyhound Racing Club located within the Showgrounds.
Developments on the grounds have included powered camping sites and our splendid Committee Room with capacity for over 100 people. Our versatile multipurpose building provides excellent stabling facilities when required and can be converted to a spacious venue that has been used to provide shelter for the Producer’s Market, as well as for other private functions. Upgrades around the grounds are ongoing. In recent years, new horseyards have been built, shedding in the cattle area has been upgraded, solar panels installed and an irrigation bore drilled.
Major refurbishment of the Skeen (Art & Craft) Pavilion took place in 2017, as well as placement of new seats around the Arena and infrastructure improvements in the Caravan Park area.
In 2018 a new flexible-purpose complex was built which houses offices (including the Secretary’s Office) and meeting rooms as well as improved, extended amenities to cater for the visitors to our popular Caravan Park and the large numbers of guests for events held at our Showgrounds. This project was made possible with support from the Latrobe Valley Authority. Our application for the funding was looked upon favourably because of the reputation of the Sale & District Agricultural Society in the community and the level of support it gets from local businesses. We still rely very much on sponsorship to be able to put together an outstanding Show each year and we are grateful to all who contribute to the Sale & District Agricultural Society’s progress by playing their part in the Sale Show’s ongoing success.
We are a truly community based not for profit organisation providing recreational and sporting events and forums for rural families and everyone to enjoy.
Located in Sale on the corner of the Princes Highway and Sale Maffra Road, we are ideally situated for easy access by locals and visitors. Come and enjoy what we have to offer.
Sale Show is Gippsland’s premier and oldest agricultural Show, held in Sale, Victoria. The Sale and District Agricultural Society, which runs the show, was formed in 1859 and remains the region’s oldest community organisation.
Mr David Tulloch OAM
Past President Sale and District Agricultural Society
“We look back with pride to the men who founded and fostered this Society”
T. A. Henebery, 1959
Creation
The vision of a group of men in 1857, which became a reality in 1859, and still flourishes today, epitomises the spirit and tenacity of the Gippsland people. The North Gippsland Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society had already been formed when an ‘adjourned’ meeting was held at the Club Hotel, Foster St, Sale, on 16 December, 1859, for the purpose of appointing a Committee of Management. The Hon. Robert Thomson, M.L.C. was elected President with Angus McMillan, Esq. M.L.A. and John Johnson Esq. M.L.A. Vice Presidents.
Society Names
In 1859 the Society took the name of the North Gippsland Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society embracing as it did all areas around Sale. Members of the Committee came from as far as Prospect, Stratford, Bushy Park, Mewburn Park, Newry, Tinamba, Maffra, Clydebank and Traralgon. In 1890 it was moved that the name of the Society be altered to the Sale Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society in order to place emphasis on Sale, but this was defeated and it was not until 1921 that the name change was made. In 1953 it was altered to its present name of the Sale and District Agricultural Society.
Shows
The annual show was always an exciting event for the people of the district. Either a full holiday or a half holiday was granted for Show Day which was held during the week. A journalist from the ‘Gippsland Guardian’, 8th May, 1861, described the first show of the Society:“Tuesday …was a beautiful day…very early in the day carts with their loads of immense pumpkins and plethoric carrots, with large overgrown specimens of the brassica tribe, passed through the town on their way to the Society’s grounds….greatest attraction for the ladies was the marquee where the flowers and horticultural products were exhibited.”The above excerpts are taken from: “Look back with pride –A History of the Sale and District Agricultural Society 1859 – 1989″, by Dorothy Morrison.