BRAND new activities are in store for Sheepvention 2022, including the new Entertainment Centre that will be full of activities to keep the children entertained, while parents relax with a coffee and bite to eat in the café.

The centre will feature face painting, giant lawn games, jumping castles, circus performing workshops and much more!

The South West TAFE Producers Pavilion will feature a line-up of local producers on the kitchen stage, including demonstrations from Cheeky Rascal, Stokes River Chickens, Casterton Distillery and Halliday Butchers.

Whilst parents are watching the kitchen demonstrations, the kids can be entertained by making their own pizzas in the Kids Bakery or learning all the precision driving skills required to obtain their mini tractor licence.

The petting zoo, which is always popular, will also return.

The Atlex Stockyards Innovations Hub will be home to a number of speakers on the stage, including: Meat and Livestock Australia, The Livestock Collective, Agriculture Victoria and Peppermint Ridge Farm.

A Southern Farming Systems (SFS) representative will be speaking about the new ‘My Farm Dashboard’ which incorporates a number of extensive tools developed to assist farmers in sourcing and managing data.

“The project is really the first of its kind to help farmers make more informed and time critical decisions that lead to better outcomes,” SFS business services manager, Bret Ryan said.

“By bringing together a consortium of agricultural industry, educational and government partners, the project has amalgamated tools and data on key factors (for) climate, commodities, and production in a single online portal.

“It will provide farmers with the ‘right information at the right time’, thus avoiding unnecessary information overload.”

The various competitions throughout the three days, such as the Inventions competition, Wool Handling Competition and Coprice Farm Dog Championships, are also expected to draw large crowds.

Hamilton P&A Society business and events manager, Emmelie Nijskens, said this year’s Sheepvention presented a raft of entertaining and informative activities, for young and old.

“There will be a lot happening,” she said.

“The former Fashion Pavilion has been rebranded as the new Entertainment Centre, where there will be loads of activities for kids in a warm and cosy environment that will keep them occupied for hours. 

“There is something for everyone.”

Sheepvention Rural Expo will be held at the Hamilton Showgrounds on Sunday, July 31 – Tuesday, August 3, 2022.

Tickets are available online for $25 at sheepvention.com