With the Royal Easter Show underway in Sydney for another year, Joanne Scott surveys a century of agricultural shows on film.

'Throughout their history, agricultural shows have offered exhibitors and visitors a combination of serious competition and light-hearted amusements. Similarly … newsreel segments on agricultural shows alternated between serious pronouncements on Australia’s present and future and … some very corny jokes.’

Dr Joanne Scott is Professor of History and the co-author of Showtime: A History of the Brisbane Exhibition (2008, UQP).

Have a look at Agricultural shows.