This past weekend marked the opening of the annual Royal Melbourne Show. The Royal Melbourne Show is on from the 19th of September to the 29th of September, 2015.
For 2015 the Royal Melbourne Show opened its gates on a Saturday rather than the normal Thursday which traditionally has been done. I thought was better as the kids are usually still in school on the Thursday and Friday but then thought about those who want to try miss the crowds who may have younger families.
Entry into the show will cost you $38 for adult tickets and $19 for children, with under 4 free. Alternatively you can buy family passes which save you a bit of cash.
Getting into the show has many options – get the direct train ride via Metro trains which stops right at the showgrounds, get a tram down from the city stopping outside the showgrounds or drive in parking around the showgrounds. Parking will cost you $22 if you park at the primary school opposite showgrounds or $50 to park at the leisure centre opposite showgrounds.
Anyway, we ventured in for the sunny and warm 21c opening day. We were there for very start of a 10am opening. I can't recall every going on a opening day so I wanted to see what the atmosphere was like. I won't lie when I say I was thinking to myself what are you doing? It'll be packed - first day, school holidays and weekend, BUT I completely wrong. There was a crowd but not as much as I expected. By noon it has picked up as expected and there was double the amount of people as to when we entered but it was still easy to get around.
As I usually say every year it's an expensive day out but it comes once a year thankfully.
Why do I keep going back you may ask?
I just love the atmosphere, the exciting once a year event to do something different with the family.
This year we were more focused on the activities they had for kids now that Niah is 2, walking around herself and can do more things on her own as well as knowing what she wants to do and doesn't. We first stopped by The Farmhouse which you were able to pat chickens and pigs, take part in some activities like digging for veggies in soil beds, color in etc.
Next stop was checking out the carnival area with all the rides. Rides will start anywhere from $6 upwards. A ride on the biggest for the big kids is $20 where as a ride on the Ferris wheel with the family will cost you $30 for 4. Take a ride on the newest addition to the kids carnival like Niah & I did on 'The Animal Kingdom' which will set you back $10pp.
We hit up the Entertainment Dome after that where we were able to see Peppa Pig and her family live on stage for a performance. I believe it may have went for around 10-15 minutes. Perfect, perfect, perfect timing! Kids don't have a long attention span as we know so this was well done for timing. You'll be able to see music stars, illusionists and more daily via the Entertainment Dome.
It was time for some lunch next and you have two areas to pick from now the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion which has been there time after time with businesses who cook hot meals or you have the array of little stalls who are showcasing their products to purchase for use at home or the many bakeries. Or you could visit the new Pop Up Restaurants which is located outside the Masterchef head quarters building where you could pick up a good pulled burger with some slaw.
Visiting the Art, Craft & Cookery Pavilion was next for us. We admired all the talented skills of entrants - with cakes that will blow your mind into how they could possibly do that. Free activities for the kids; where they could chalk draw on the porcelain life size cows or take part in some art and craft activities.
Niah loves animal so we made sure we visited all the animal parts of the Royal Melbourne Show and visited the animal based halls for judging of livestock at The Weekly Times Livestock Pavilion and the dogs at the Advance Dog Pavilion, both located at in separate halls on the opposite sides of the showgrounds.
The showbag pavilion was a breeze - apart from the slow walkers hehe. We were able to get around this year without touching shoulders and getting prams run into the backs of our legs.
I took Niah's pram into the show and was easily able to use this without having to stop and start finding room for us to squeeze through.
Surprisingly this year we walked away without any showbags really. I brought Niah a $3 Bertie Bettle showbag just so Niah could come back with a showbag but it just seems to be time after time that it's really not worth your money and you are better off investing it into something brought from the shops rather than the show. This year was pretty disappointing showbag wise, I will admit.
Lucky last we finished the Royal Melbourne Show with visiting the Jayco Animal Nursery where it was a free open petting zoo with baby lambs and goats.
At set times you can join in on feeding the baby animals there milk and get your photo taken with a baby lamb by photographers at the exit for a fee of $15 for an individual print of $25 for a pack of mixed size photos.
I have to give big kudos and ups to the Royal Melbourne Show as this year they put in a crossing where it stops traffic along the Epsom Rd along the school side where their is parking and generates a lot of entry for those who drove in. White lines were put across the road and the road now had put in temporary traffic lights just for the show go-ers. Thank you so much to the innovative thinkers behind this, so many stressed less people having to duck and run through traffic to get across the road to the showgrounds.
Another thing is I noticed how clean the show was, this was potentially maybe because it was the first day but I actually noticed cleaners going around picking up rubbish from the ground this year. Well done guys, you rock!
