Happy the Friesian steer is the Farm World mascot and celebrates his birthday with donations to the West Gippsland hospital. Happy is with Lardner Park chair Angela Bayley. This year for Happy’s second birthday, Lardner Park Committee of Management donated $1000 to the hospital, matching $500 of public donations.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Attendance numbers at Farm World in March were fairly consistent with previous years, despite a cost of living crisis, the impending federal election and global disruption around trade tariffs imposed by the United States.
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Farm World is held annually at Lardner Park, with machinery and equipment exhibited across a 40-hectare site, just outside Warragul, in Gippsland, Victoria, among prime dairy country.
Farm World is traditionally held over three days and is one of the premier agricultural field days for exhibiting tractors, mulchers, milking machinery, disc and direct drill machines, rakes and silage wrap machines, alongside fencing equipment, feeder wagons and other essential machinery for the farm.
In the annual Farm World awards, the Gendore site was named the Best Agribusiness Exhibit. Representing Gendore are Nellie Noye and Brad Carpenter.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
This year, in response to input from equipment and machinery exhibitors, Farm World was held from Thursday, March 27 to Saturday, March 29.
A total of 36,464 people paid to attend the event over the three days, with an additional 5575 people at the Saturday evening rodeo.
In comparison, 39,000 people attended Farm World in 2024; 38,000 people attended it in 2023; and 37,000 people attended the three-day event in 2022.
The 2026 Farm World will also be held over Thursday to Saturday.
In the annual Farm World awards, honourable mention in the Best Agribusiness Exhibit was awarded to the crew on the TTMI site.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
“This change to two weekdays and a weekend day, rather than one weekday and a full weekend, was based on exhibitor feedback after the 2024 Farm World,” Lardner Park chief executive officer Craig Debnam said.
“This change will help reduce costs and support Lardner Park staff, Farm World volunteers, and exhibitors.
“It enables exhibitors to pack up their sites on Monday, and avoid paying unnecessary penalty rates for Sunday.
“The Farm World focus is on serving the needs of our primary audiences — farmers and their families — promoting agriculture, celebrating local producers, agricultural machinery and equipment suppliers and dealers and showcasing emerging farm technologies that enhance productivity and efficiency on farms.”
In the annual Farm World awards, On A Roll Rural Fencing received the Best Technology and Innovation Exhibit. Pictured is Rob Rowlinson, owner of On A Roll Rural Fencing.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
The annual Farm World’s awards were announced at the end of the first exhibition day on Thursday, March 27.
The Gendore site was named the Best Agribusiness Exhibit. Honourable mention in this category went to the TTMI site.
On A Roll Rural Fencing received the Best Technology and Innovation Exhibit.
As well as spending time among the machinery and equipment exhibits, farmers can attend the Telstra women in agriculture lunch and the CommBank breakfast forum.
This year’s breakfast discussion was led by Bernard Salt.
Thursday is schools visiting day and Year 9 and 10 students from Neerim District Secondary College were at Farm World, and visited the TAFE Gippsland site.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Farm World is dependent on an army of volunteers. As well as local farmers on the committee of management who volunteer their own and their families’ time, community groups benefit from contributing their volunteers’ time.
Lions Club of Warragul provides catering, and the Country Women’s Association, Warragul provides Devonshire teas and sandwiches.
The Rotary Club of Warragul provides people to electronically scan pre-paid tickets, while the Warragul Club of Drouin staffs the entry gates, helps exhibitors find their sites, and drive attendees around the Farm World site.
Volunteers from Lardner and District Primary School provide waste recovery services, cleaning rubbish around the Farm World site and emptying bins.
Catching up at Farm World were Wendy Whelan of Toora, Charlie Tyers of Foster, Nathan Ingram of Drouin, Kate Riley with Daisy Ryan and Will Ryan with Finley Ryan of Nilma North.
Photo by
Jeanette Severs
Drouin South Primary School volunteers provide a delivery service for people making purchases at the field days.
The Ellinbank Football and Netball Club members organise car parking across the site for attendees.
All container deposit scheme returns are donated to Mindfull Australia.
