Mrs SALLY QUINNELL (Camden) (19:58): No-one from the Camden area can ever forget the image of a Ferris wheel half covered in floodwaters. After a few years break, and after I was unable to attend last year because it fell on the same weekend as the election, last weekend Camden celebrated the 138th Camden Show. Over 15 and 16 March, a brand-new record of 46,000 people attended Camden Show. Assisted by 450 volunteers, on Friday we entertained 4,825 school students, who were able to attend due to free school‑organised excursions. The pavilion had 3,200 entries, including needle craft, quilting, flower arranging, sugar art, cooking, honey, jams and preserves, art and photography. I happily share with the House that I myself purchased one of the pieces of art—an artwork that came second—as it depicted a beautiful scene near the Camden Show site. I bought it to display in my Parliamentary office. There were 500 entries in the poultry section of the Camden Show. For the first time in 80 years, the poultry shed has been completely refurbished. It is looking absolutely beautiful and smelling the best it has in a very long time.

On Saturday an afternoon tea was held at the Edward Macarthur-Onslow Pavilion, known to locals as Ted's Shed, and awards were handed out to recognise some incredible achievements. For example, Hugh Southwell, a past president of the Camden Show Society, was awarded a life membership. Gavin Moore, a councillor from the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, awarded John Grauver the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Agricultural Shows Award. Camden Show Society President David Dunbier presented the Excellence in Agriculture and Rural Business Award to Gavin Moore and Hayley Mahoney. We were also excited to have Group 5 president Michael Brennan present David Baker with an award of appreciation for his support and mentorship of young people in agriculture. I add my personal congratulations to David. He is someone I used to work with at Macarthur Anglican School.

It is important to dwell on what show societies do for our towns. Not only do they bring in tourism, but they also draw the support of rural locals and neighbours. Many people from Wollondilly came to Camden to enjoy the show—and to show what they can do. It gives city people access to a country show that is a fair bit cheaper than the Sydney Royal Easter Show and that can be covered in a single day. People are able to come out and enjoy the traditions and customs of the country while staying within Sydney. I loved the incubation of small local businesses in the Style Pavilion. Representatives from the Camden Show Society told me that they went out and found businesses that were small and local that they could support for those two days. They gave them the opportunity to show what they can provide to the greater society. I found that very exciting.

I spoke to one of those business owners, and she said that she had made more money over the two days of the Camden Show than she had up until that point in her business. The shows also offer the opportunity to showcase and provide information about local community groups. There were community group stalls and emergency services stalls. Children were able to go from a Rural Fire Service fire truck to a police motorbike and then on to a CareFlight helicopter. That caused a lot of excitement. There were a lot of overexcited children, especially at 4.00 p.m. on the Friday. What I really love about the Camden Show is that it is an opportunity for us to come together as a town to celebrate our history and what makes us Camden. I thank the Camden Show Society for its incredible help.

TEMPORARY SPEAKER (Mr Clayton Barr): I thank the member and recognise her passion for the Camden Show. We had many conversations in the weeks leading up to the show about how exciting it was.