Killarney residents and visitors had their hopes of a bonanza Show dashed last weekend, after persistent rain forced the cancellation of the Killarney Show.
Unprecedented amounts of rain battered the Southern Downs from Friday, February 22, with many areas recording above 80mm and forced the Killarney Show Society to pull the plug.
Limited indoor activities still went ahead as planned inside the Killarney Recreation Hall, which is situated across the road from the Killarney Pavilion.
Killarney Show Society secretary Maurice Thomson said it was the second cancellation of the iconic Show in the past five years.
“The last time the Killarney Show was forced to cancel, in recent times, was in 2008, due to a nationwide concern for equine influenza,” he said.
Doubt has also been raised over the future of the ailing Killarney pavilion, which was deemed unsafe by insurance assessors.
Mr Thomson said the pavilion had been in use for the Killarney Show’s indoor activities for almost 80 years.
He said the pavilion was rebuilt in 1968, after it was bowled over by a freak tornado.
“The tornado left only the stumps and foundation, which were used to build the current pavilion,” he said.
“But as time has passed and with floodwater battering the aged stumps and foundation, there’s a growing need for repairs.”
Early estimates to repair the pavilion were in excess of $300,000, but could climb as high as $500,000.
Mr Thomson said the Show Society had their insurance company assess the building through the guidance of engineers, and recommended that the structure be closed to the public.
However, Mr Thomson said future shows would not be interrupted, as most of the attractions took place on the showgrounds.
“We’re also able to take advantage of the Killarney Recreation Hall, which is across from the pavilion, for those indoor activities,” he said.
Mr Thomson said the priority was to ensure an insurable and safe environment for visitors into the future.
