Murwillumbah prepares for show

Showman Terry Nilson sets up for his 60th Murwillumbah show.

Blainey Woodham

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Murwillumbah Show 2009

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SHOWMAN Terry Nilon knows the Murwillumbah showground and the annual show better than most locals.

“This year will be my 60th show,” said the sideshow alley operator yesterday.

“This is the very first show I saw.

“By the time I was one-year-old I’d been to this show twice because I’d come straight from hospital. And I’ve never missed a Murwillumbah show.”

Mr Nilon is among several travelling show operators who have set up camp at the Murwillumbah Show, which gets under way at the end of next week, so that they can travel to surrounding shows.

Last weekend he and others worked the Lismore Show and this weekend plan to run rides at the Alstonville Show.

Murwillumbah, he said, was a great spot to use as a temporary home base.

“It’s very good we can come here and stay. Alstonville is a very small camping area where we haven’t got much room to leave anything,” Mr Nilon said.

“If you are going back to Brisbane you may as well leave your stuff here and support the town as well.”

Mr Nilon, an executive on the Showman’s Guild, said five generations of his family had been to the Murwillumbah Show.

“Three of them are here now, myself, my daughter and two grandsons,” he said.

“My other daughter will be here next week with my other grandson and they’ve never missed the show.”

Mr Nilon said he and other show operators were delighted at the “free gate” organised by Murwillumbah Show Society and local sponsors, which means show-goers do not have to pay admission.

“It helps get them in,” he said. “We sponsor the fireworks in return.”