Mr Daniel Burke founded the Western Agricultural Society (Westbury Show) in 1863. The late Daniel Burke had a lifetime of public service. He was warden of the Westbury Municipal Council for nearly 40 years and a member of the House of Assembly for ten years.

For the first twenty-one years of the Show, he held the position of Secretary and then became President. He remained involved with the Show until he died in 1927 at 100 years of age.

With Westbury being a farming centre of the north, he felt that an agricultural show would be a marvellous way to showcase livestock and bring the people of the district together. The site of the current showground was selected and what is now a heritage grandstand was built.

An exceptional lineup of draught horses, hacks, hunters, harness horses, sheep and cattle were shown in the early years with the names of the forebears of well-known district families involved. The women’s industries have always been vital and the pet-lamb parade has become iconic for the Show.

With the introduction of Olympic Show Jumping in 1954, Westbury Show has progressed to be the biggest show-jumping event in Tasmania, with the current show-jumping program held over two days.

The Show remains one of the few remaining traditional agricultural shows in the state. The large arena can accommodate all the equestrian sections in one day. With the continued upgrade of the arena, buildings and facilities, the showground has become a tremendous asset to the community.

Limited copies of The Show Goes On at Westbury, 1864-2023 are available by contacting Mrs Judy Kilby OAM by emailing  Pinelodge1@bigpond.com  on calling on 0439 334 663.