Royal Hobart Show to kick off amid sweltering heat

This year’s Royal Hobart Show will be the last edition held across different venues and weekends.

Royal Agricultural and Pastoral Society CEO Mr Gadd said the 2027 edition of the show will return entirely to the Hobart Showground following a major redevelopment at the site.

The Royal Hobart Show has been run across multiple venues since 2022.

After the 2025 event, he said there was a 50:50 chance the show would return to its traditional home this year.

But Mr Gadd said the new sheds at the Showgrounds were not yet finished.

The equestrian events will take place at Lauderdale, while the woodchopping, fleece and dog sections will take place at the Regatta Grounds.

The remaining sections will take place at the Hobart Showgrounds, but they have been spread across different weekends.

The stud sheep, goat and cat competitions took place last weekend, while the cattle, rabbit, cavy and alpaca sections will occur during the main show weekend between October 22 and 24.

Mr Gadd said having the 2027 event back at the showgrounds was a certainty. 

“I don’t know if it will be fully ready, but we can’t afford to go offsite again,” he said.

“So whatever happens, we’ll be having the 2027 edition at the showgrounds.”

Mr Gadd said the redevelopment had been in the works for around 15 years.

“It’s exciting for all the staff to start thinking about how it's all going to work and fit together.

“To have a brand new facility is going to be a great benefit not just for the show society but the whole community.”

For most of the year when the Royal Hobart Show is not on, the showgrounds are used as a motorhome and caravan park.

“It’s available 24/7, 365 days a year for others to use,” Mr Gadd said.

“The model moving forward is greater use of the site and generating commercial opportunities to support and effectively underwrite community use.”

Mr Gadd said it was a big effort to prepare for the show each year.

“We can only do this because we’ve got an army of volunteers that are all currently working flat out to make sure we get this show up and running.

“We can’t do it without them and all the committees that help bring this together.

“Also, the Hobart City Council has been very helpful over the last four years in helping us stage what is a big event in a difficult space at the Regatta Ground.”