Sydney Royal Stand Unveiling Bush Tele Feature

Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO, Governor of NSW and Patron of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, yesterday officially announced the name of the Main Arena’s new grandstand, the Sydney Royal Stand.

As Patron of the RAS since 2001, Her Excellency was deeply emotional speaking at the intimate function, prior to unveiling the new stand’s naming plaque.

“I regard this as a very moving privilege, I’m holding back the tears because the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and the Sydney Royal Easter Show have provided some of the happiest memories of my long life,” Her Excellency said.

“When I was younger and we came down from Narrandera to see my grandparents in Sydney, it was always the zoo, the circus, the pantomime and the Sydney Royal Easter Show. But it was the Show’s wonderful, wonderful tradition that was foremost in our hearts.”

Her Excellency was joined by the RAS President Glenn Dudley, CEO Michael Kenny and a number of RAS staff at the unveiling of what Glenn Dudley described as “the jewel in the crown of this upgrade.”

The $66 million Main Arena upgrade, completed last year, included two new grandstands, as well as corporate suites, a sky deck overlooking the grounds and new state of-the-art broadcast facilities.

With Her Excellency retiring in February 2014, the unveiling was her last official function as Patron of the RAS and she expressed her passion for what the RAS does.

“The RAS inspires excellence in agriculture, handing out trophies for everything from animals to the home crafts – these are the things that the RAS symbolises,” Her Excellency said.

She commented on her love for rural Australia and the people in it, even making reference to the Show newspaper.

 “I mean it’s the wit and the fun, the Australian language that you get with the bushies. Even your newspaper is called The Bush Telegraph, that’s lovely; it brings a smile to my face.”