We first went to Rockhampton Beef Week in 1997, and had a tradefair stand there in 2000 & 2006. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it in 2009 because I had to keep working on the new book of photographs, to publish it by the end of this year. Rocky Beef Exposition is six days of excellent forums, social and work-related events, and the tradefair is huge – not to be missed by anyone who is interested in the cattle industry, Australian agriculture or general rural life. This year I had been especially looking forward to hearing Ken Warriner speak at the Rural Press Club breakfast, and going to the Resource Consulting Services cocktail gathering, for a good chinwag with old friends. Plus time spent at the tradefair stand, talking to more than 40,000 people who walk past over four days. Many people have travelled from other states and I’ve met a lot of overseas visitors there, from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, USA, Canada and Britain. Invariably I also encounter people not seen for many years – for example in 2006, an Orange Agricultural College University lecturer I haven’t seen since 1983, and cattle station people I haven’t seen since the 1990s. Looking forward to Rocky Beef Week in 2012 – it’ll be a great week.
PS: in May 2012 I’ll be in the Walter Pearce Pavilion, Stand number 45 – look forward to seeing you there!