Council votes to move public holiday from Show Day

GLADSTONE'S show holiday looks set to be Monday, August 12, next year after council voted in favour of moving it from the Gladstone Show Society's preferred date of Wednesday, August 7.

Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Matt Burnett said the decision came after council polled residents last month and found 75 per cent of respondents wanted the show holiday to form part of a long weekend.

Council has requested permission from the Queensland Government to hold the public holiday on August 12.

The day must align with 'a show'.

Council has made the unorthodox decision to seek to align the show holiday not with the local show but with the Brisbane Ekka.

"I've never heard of (a council nominating a show holiday date for a show outside its region)," Cr Burnett said.

"It's generally (only done) because (the town) doesn't have a show."

Cr Burnett voted against moving the date.

He said the poll finding in favour of moving the date had been conducted after "a motion raised by the deputy mayor (Chris Trevor) about better use of the showgrounds and (about) no one going to the show".

Cr Burnett said council expected to hear back shortly from the Queensland Government about the date change.

He said he thought it was "very likely" the request would be granted as it met the criteria.

Robyn Reddacliff show society secretary said the society would need to consider the best date to hold the show.

"We lost the holiday now, after 126 years, we have to make other arrangements," she said. "(But) the show will continue."