Nowra Showground Enhancements - Horse and Cattle Precincts

The Nowra Showground Enhancements project consists of upgrading the facilities at the Nowra Showground, Horse and Cattle Precinct to support a number of growing agricultural events that will have the ability to attract visitors from NSW and interstate. An area at the Nowra Showground set aside for cattle showing and judging will be enhanced to allow the existing Cattle Exhibitions to expand and to entice other breeds and livestock to use the facilities.

Nowra Showground Enhancements will also include upgrading facilities for disabled access and meet the objectives of inclusive tourism.

Project components include:

fencing around the Cattle Judging Yard
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Nowra Showground Enhancements will also include upgrading facilities for disabled access and meet the objectives of inclusive tourism.

Project components include:

fencing around the Cattle Judging Yard
upgraded and increased seating including accessible seating and pathways
drainage and guttering to improve environmental outcomes
cattle ramp improvements
construction of a Judging Room/Office
family café upgrade – including the upgrade of canteen kitchen and amenities.

These enhancements will support the expansion of a number of agricultural shows and will also support year-round visitation through increased amenity.

Objective

“To promote the development of Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial resources of Nowra and the surrounding districts by holding exhibitions for the display of livestock, Horticultural and Agricultural produce of all kinds, together with other such objects of manufacture product or the arts as may be determined and to provide entertainment for its patrons.” - Nowra Show Society

The objective of this project is to increase visitation to the Nowra Showground by enhancing the facilities in and around the Cattle Judging area.

The establishment and continuance of the Nowra Showground is in direct response to the needs of the Shoalhaven agricultural and wider business community. The Showground has the potential to attract visitors from all over the state, as well as nationally, by securing key agricultural events. The ability to grow existing events, and attract future events, is hampered by a lack of appropriate facilities. Enhanced facilities will also encourage events to be held over a longer duration.

In addition, Council wishes to support inclusive tourism and this project will include a number of upgrades/construction of amenities that meet Australian Standard 1428.1 2009 – Design for access and mobility – general requirements for access – new building work.

Background

The Nowra Showground is a much-loved asset within the heart of Nowra. The Showground is on public land on the western edge of the town, in the City of Shoalhaven. The Showground is a mixture of Council owned community land and Crown land, for which Shoalhaven City Council is Trust Manager.

Nowra is the largest of the Shoalhaven’s four showgrounds. It is located on high ground overlooking the Shoalhaven River with views to the Cambewarra Range in the north and west, and across the floodplain to Coolangatta Mountain in the east. Read more...

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Project Update

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The construction of the Family Café and Judges Box commenced in June 2021 and is well underway.
The construction of the Cattle Shed and Open Arena are completed. The Cattle Shed fit out is now underway.
There will be an official opening once the project is completed.
Project Update

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The following components of the Nowra Showground Enhancement - Horse and Cattle Precinct have been completed:
- horse stables mesh replacement
- boundary fence
- cattle loading ramp improvements
- new cattle judging ring
- new spectator seating.
Take a look at the boundary fencing works underway and completed in the Photo Library on this web page.
What's next?
A request for tender for the family café upgrades and new judges box are scheduled to go out in March 2021 along with a request for quote for the new cattle shed.
Completion of the project is scheduled for late 2021.
First Sod Turned on Nowra Showground Enhancement Project

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12 September 2019
Shoalhaven City Council is pleased to announce the first sod on the Nowra Showground Enhancements project has been turned. The project will see facilities of the Nowra Showground and the Horse and Cattle Precinct upgraded to attract further events and visitors to the region.

The NSW State Government have pledged more than $900 000 to the project, as part of the NSW Government’s Restart NSW Regional Growth: Environment and Tourism Fund. Mayor Amanda Findley believes this upgrade will grow Nowra’s agricultural reputation in the industry.

“I would firstly like to thank the State Government for their significant contribution to the project, along with Council’s contribution, it will go a long way to ensuring that this unique and special facility is enhanced for the future.” Clr Findley said.

“The enhancement project will allow for existing Cattle Exhibitions to expand whilst hopefully enticing other breeds/livestock to come to our region to use these facilities.

“The South Coast Beef Producers collaborated with the Nowra Show Society and approached Council to apply for funding to upgrade this important piece of Nowra’s history. This year the South Coast Beef Producers held it’s second annual School Steer Spectacular at the Showgrounds which was attended by 300 students and their teachers with the aim of introducing young people to agricultural employment opportunities.

“The project will also include an upgrade to amenities to ensure they meet the objectives of inclusive tourism.

“It has been a pleasure to work collaboratively with the Nowra Show Society, South Coast Beef and NSW Holstein to achieve this fantastic outcome” Clr Findley said.

The project is projected to be completed in late 2020.
Background and History

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The Showground has a range of significant buildings and other facilities, including several with important heritage values. The vista from the Showground is spectacular and an underutilised drawcard for visitors to the Shoalhaven. The Showground forms part of a corridor of public land that extends along the Shoalhaven River and Nowra Creek. This open space is within walking distance of the CBD of Nowra and forms an important passive recreation area, as well as providing for various active recreational pursuits and sports. The Showground is also bounded by Nowra Reserve which extends along the Shoalhaven River. Bens Walk is a flat trail that wanders along Shoalhaven River foreshore and Nowra Creek, a 5.5 kilometre nature walk in the heart of Nowra. Bens Walk is accessed by two points within the Nowra Showground adding to the attractiveness of the Showground for visitors.
The Nowra Showground is an important public space used by many people, both Shoalhaven residents and visitors, with flow-on social and commercial benefits to the local community. This multi-functional site, a major recreational centre in Nowra, is of high social value for past and present generations.
The Nowra Showground has been a significant area of open space for the Nowra community for more than a century with land dedicated as a recreation reserve in 1881. In 1884, more than 230 ornamental trees were planted at the Showground, donated by the Botanic Gardens in Sydney. In 1886 the first Nowra Show was held at the Nowra Showgrounds. The Nowra Show has been held every year since - apart from 1929 (when it was cancelled due to no access to town water because of prolonged drought), and 1942 (cancelled due to war effort and military occupation of Showground).
This project is to enhance assets within the Nowra Showground in order to attract key agricultural events and visitors to the region. In addition, upgrades to amenities, the new amenities block and pathways will be constructed to meet access guidelines thereby supporting inclusive tourism outcomes. A number of enhancements within the project also have environmental outcomes.
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