FREE fun for all at Kangaroo Island’s 2020 Parndana Show!

Kangaroo Island’s 61st annual Parndana Show will be a free event for all on Saturday 14 November, thanks to funding provided by Bendigo Bank’s SA Bushfire Disaster Appeal.

A local country show at the heart of Kangaroo Island, the Parndana Agricultural, Horticultural and Floricultural Show has been synonymous with the second Saturday of November for more than six decades.

However, following the devastating Black Summer Bushfires and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Parndana Show Society has faced significant financial challenges to facilitate and deliver a COVID-19 safe event, in line with government regulations and restrictions.

As a result, the SA Bushfire Advisory Committee - established to assist with the allocation and distribution of Bendigo Bank’s SA Bushfire Disaster Appeal funds - has provided $20,000 to cover the entry fees for all Show attendees and traders on Saturday. It will be the first time in its 61-year history that the Show will be fully accessible to the entire KI community, for free.

Alexandra Gartmann, Executive Corporate Affairs, Bendigo Bank, said the 2020 Parndana Show will offer the entire Kangaroo Island community an opportunity to gather together, celebrate their community and further support each other in the recovery process.

“The funds granted by the SA Bushfire Disaster Appeal will allow this important community festival to go ahead at full capacity - free of charge - and will provide an opportunity for KI residents to reunite following a traumatic and challenging year,” Ms Gartmann said.

“While there is still a long way to go, a successful hosting of the 2020 Parndana Show will be a big step in support of the Island’s economic and social recovery. The Bank’s purpose is to feed into community prosperity, not off it, and we remain firmly committed to supporting the long-term recovery of all Australian communities affected by the Black Summer fires.”

Nic Tremaine, President, Parndana Show Society, said the funding provided by the SA Bushfire Disaster Fund will ensure the 2020 Show can proceed as planned on Saturday.

“Following January’s destructive bushfires and the ongoing pandemic, it’s important the KI community is provided with opportunities to come together to support each other in their recovery, and to further enhance local community cohesiveness and resilience,” Mr Tremaine said.

“2020 has been an extremely challenging year for everyone on the Island and we would like to thank Bendigo Bank for its support in helping us host this year’s Show. It means that for the first time ever, there will be no gate fee for attendees, no site fees for any traders and free rides for kids - and the kids at heart - on the dodgem cars and bouncing castle.”

Rob Manton, Kangaroo Island Local Recovery Coordinator and Jordan Sampson, Customer Relationship Officer, Bendigo Bank, will officially open the 2020 Parndana Show at 12 noon on Saturday 14 November.

To date, Bendigo Bank’s national and state-based bushfire appeals have raised more than $46 million to help those affected by the Black Summer bushfires.

Almost half the funds raised by more than 145,000 generous donors have already been made available and distributed to a range of organisations working with local communities in their recovery, including:

• The Salvation Army
• The Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund
• BlazeAid
• Goolwa Surf Lifesaving Club Inc
• Variety the Children’s Charity SA
• Windermere Child & Family Services
• The Man From Snowy River Festival
• Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency Co-Op
• Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc
• Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-Op
• Albury Wodonga Regional Foodshare
• Gateway Health
• Centre Against Violence
• Gippsland Lakes Complete Health

The $20,000 granted to the Parndana Show Society is the latest funding to be provided to Kangaroo Island by Bendigo Bank’s SA Bushfire Disaster Appeal, and follows the recent award of $50,000 to Variety the Children’s Charity SA to assist it with the development of two new playgrounds at Kangaroo Island Community Education’s Kingscote and Parndana campuses.
For further updates on where and how Appeal donations are assisting the recovery process on the ground and for examples of donations at work in bushfire affected communities, please visit Bendigo Bank’s Disaster recovery page.