So I’m seriously not joking when I say the Perth Royal Show is the highlight of my whole year!
I am a biiiiiig kid at heart and what better way to spend the day than pigging out on overpriced hot chips, spending a months worth of wages on trying to win a stuffed toy and looking at all the animals that you wish you could take home. I couldn’t think of anything better! So because I’m such a show junkie, I’ve tried to compile a list this year of various bits and pieces that may help out your day so for anyone who is a show regular like me, or if your completely new to this ball game, you can have an amazing time regardless of what your budget is!
Free things for adults & kids
There is a HUGE selection of fun and free things to see and do at the Royal Show every year and if your after every single one of them I suggest heading on over to the Perth Royal Show website. I won’t go through and name them all but here are a few of my favourite things that are always a regular on my to do list when I go!
-Head on over to the animal nursery where you can get up close and personal to a whole heap of furry and feathered friends. Chickens, cats, dogs you name it! There is a section where the animals are wandering free range so you can pat and play with them to your hearts content. Watch little chicks being hatched under the heat lamp and there is a goat milking demonstration on every day for anyone who is interested!
-Head on over to the AGVENTURE trail! Replacing the previous Yellow Brick Road incentive, you will need to pick up your free guide at the showgrounds gates (or in The West newspaper on Friday 20th of September) There are 16 stops across the showgrounds where you will complete different activities and answer questions and once you have completed your guide there are heaps of great prizes up for grabs! Great free fun for kids to keep them occupied during the day!
-I don’t know about you but watching wood being chopped is absolutely mesmerizing! Why not grab a seat and be blown away by the talented axe men and their unbelievable wood chopping talents at the wood chopping arena open daily
-Are you a future cook in the making or just love seeing dishes come together? Or do you like to watch how to handle a pair of knitting needles? Whatever your poison may be, there are plenty of free pavilions you can walk through showcasing some amazing bits and pieces which will keep minds young and old entertained for hours
-Head on over to the Police Pavilion and learn about what it takes to be a policeman for the day. Open from 9am-7pm. You can have a chance to get a photo taken inside a real police car! There are daily Constable Care shows on for the kids (11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm) and plenty of information available to read about police officers and the places they’ve traveled and what they have to do for work
-Take advantage of the 2 for 1 kids ride offer eligible every day of the show. There is a few T&C’s with this offer however. Tickets can only be purchased during the promotional period daily between 3pm-4pm (at the Ashton Gate 10 Nova Kiddieland which is next to the Dairy Pavillion) and can only be used until 7pm. Normally the kids rides are $6 each, however with this promo it will equate to $3 each ride
Tips for sticking to your budget on and before the day
-Pack your own food and drinks (And plenty of water people!) This one is a no brainer. More often than not I end up spending way too much money at the show on exorbitantly over priced food. $10 for a tub of hot chips anyone?! I’m all for having treats every now and again at the show however, if you really want to keep your costs down, bringing as much of your own food as possible is the best way. Why not bring a picnic rug (there are plenty of shady areas on grass) and bring your own bag of potato chips, juice boxes, cookies or whatever your heart desires. Buy it at your supermarket beforehand, look for specials so you and your family still feel like your having a treat at the show, for much less of the price
-Have you thought about starting a small savings account a few months beforehand to help with the costs? If you managed to try and put away $20 a month ($5 a week) from the start of the year, that equates to $180 dollars by the end of September! That could be your ticket money entry or your showbag and ride budget. I have done this in previous years and it is a huge weight off our shoulders not having to come to the week of the show and realizing we are needing to find hundreds of dollars to get through the day
-Head on over to the TASTE WA pavilion and load up on some free samples! Plus there’s chefs there on the daily cooking up some amazing food, you might get some tips and meal ideas for free!
-On the https://www.perthroyalshow.com.au/ website they will normally advertise on certain days that kids (and seniors) can get in for half price. If you also purchase your tickets online beforehand or through your local IGA, you can make a savings of up to $14 on a family pass ticket! Also note, kids under 4 years old enter the show for free. If you head to the show after 5pm, you will be able to purchase a Twilight ticket which will save you a few extra dollars as well
-ATM machines at the show always charge you a fee to take your cash out. I have also been in a situation where I had gone to take money out and a lady who was standing in front of me at the ATM had her card taken by the machine. So for this exact reason, I make sure I take out cash beforehand if need be. There are still plenty of eftpos facilities available at the show to make your purchases, however some rides and stalls will only accept cash
-Have you decided how you will be travelling to the show? There is not a whole lot of parking options available and majority of the street/verge parking you pay high prices for (and that’s if you can even get a parking spot as they fill up verrrrry quickly). Public transport is a much cheaper option and saves you the hassle of dealing with traffic in and around the show grounds. A family rider ticket will let you ride the train for the day, and also saves you purchasing another ticket at the end of the day. Kids 4 AND UNDER travel on Transperth for free as well. I have taken the train in for the last few years ever since they have gotten rid of the large oval parking that used to be available and yes, even though the train can be quite packed on the ride in, majority of the time the train is empty on the way home and they sometimes have trains running that go straight from the showgrounds to Perth city with no stops
Handy essentials to think about before you go
-Take your own first aid kit with you. There are St John ambulance posts situated throughout the showgrounds where basic first aid items are available usually for a gold coin donation, however I always make sure I pack my own little first aid case with essentials like band-aids, panadol, sunscreen, hand sanitizer etc and it will save me having to trek over to a St John if all I am needing is a band-aid for example
-Make sure you wear comfy shoes! I know I know, its not rocket science but its honestly crazy to think how much walking around you will be doing on the day! The showgrounds are situated on land with some sections that are on an incline and also areas that are just gravel, and just have a think about the areas you will be walking through. Are you going to the animal nursery where there is the potential to walk through animal poop? Or are you going to go on heaps of rides on the day? Once you take in all these factors, do yourself and your poor feet a favour and throw on something comfy
-Are you travelling with small children? When we went to the show last year Noah was only 4 months old so was pram bound. This year however, we will be taking a moving/running/crazy 16 month old who the minute his feet hit the ground he is off! What measures do you put in place to make sure (god forbid) that your child weren’t to run off and get lost? I know some parents write their phone number on their child’s arm before they go, or explaining to your child to look for a policeman/paramedic or a specific location to head too? If you have younger children who cant quite grasp those concepts just yet, there are also harnesses you can buy for them for your own peace of mind SHOP HERE
Shop Cassie’s outfit HERE
Shop Noah’s outfit HERE
Very thankful for your royal show tips and tricks Cos I haven’t been going the last few years and have guests coming to Perth this year during the show. Cheers