Backbencher

In our final day of class we got to listen to a lecture by Dr. Joanne Scott from University of Sunshine Coast. Her lecture was titled "Charms, Splendors, and Wonders" and dealt primarily with the Brisbane Exhibition. First she showed us a couple of pictures from Queensland, which included a giant pineapple and one of their campus with kangaroos all over the place. We can relate with these somewhat as we have giant replicas of random things in the United States (my favorite being Tommy the Turtle in Bottineau, ND, which by the way if you have not seen you must, as a giant turtle riding a snowmobile is an experience that is quite unforgettable).
She then went on to explain more about the Brisbane Exhibition, covering why it matters, the first exhibition, tradition and continuity, and aboriginal courts in the 1910s. The first show was in 1876, and included many things that are still in the show today. Some of the categories are cattle, sheep, pigs, and dogs. One that is no longer in the show, which Dr. Scott was quite happy about, is the manure competition. Honestly it would still be a good category to be included to be more eco-friendly by finding ways that it could be useful. She showed us a series of photos that were from the very first show, which included a picture of the wooden foot bridge made by a local sawmiller that one first place. The tradition of the Brisbane Exhibition is very apparent, and helps to preserve the rural heritage of Australia. I found this whole lecture to be very interesting because once again it gave us the historical perspective of Australia from an actual Australian.