Burnie Show

Burnie Show is a two-day long agricultural exhibit in the north-central region of Tasmania. It takes place in the town of Burnie and other nearby municipalities on the first Saturday of every October, along with the immediately preceding Friday. In 2026, the Burnie Show holiday falls on Friday 2 October. The holiday will be on Friday 1 October in 2027. Note: Municipal areas of Burnie, Waratah-Wynyard and West Coast only. Burnie show began over a century ago in 1913, though at that time, it was referred to as “Grand Spring Show.” If October doesn’t seem like springtime to you, then just visit Tasmania this time of year, and it will since the seasons are “opposite” in the Southern Hemisphere. On the first Burnie Show, attendance was already at 3,000, quite high for the time. Today, however, over 12,000 local Tasmanians, Australian tourists, and international tourists come to the show every year. The crowds are thick and diverse, there being events for people of all ages. As the holiday normally coincides with regularly scheduled off-school days, there are large numbers of children who come to see the petting zoo, enjoy entertainment in “Sideshow Alley,” go on various rides, and engage in competitive events. The show in Burnie itself takes place at the AGRIPLEX at 329 Ridgley Highway Romaine, though similar shows take place in other towns throughout the area. There are numerous exhibits, including of locally grown produce, dairy cows, beef cows, goats, alpacas (like wooly camels without humps), horses, and other farm and ranch animals. There are also exhibits on local arts and crafts, homemaking skills like cooking and sewing, industrial and commercial machinery, photography, and more. Sometimes, there are also raffles that raise money for noble causes, such as for Cancer Council Tasmania in 2015. The winners take away prizes as well, some of them worth thousands of dollars. Besides Burnie, there will be shows in Waratah-Wynyard, just west of Burnie, and in West Coast, on the far western side of the island. Burnie is largely a forestry and agricultural area, Waratah-Wynyard includes some inland mining districts, and West Coast is a wilderness and eco-tourism area. The shows in each locale will reflect local industries and terrain. Should you be touring Tasmania when Burnie Show days arrive, some things to do include: Burnie Show is a great stop for any tourist who loves a fair-like atmosphere, and once in the are, there is no reason not to strike out and see other sights as well.