The history of the Canberra Queanbeyan Poultry Club
How it all began
Breeding and showing poultry has been a hobby in the local area for many years with the first poultry club formed at Queanbeyan in 1927 with R. Robinson as secretary. The Queanbeyan Poultry Club went on to stage its first show later that year at the Queanbeyan poultry pavilion and every year until 1945 (including throughout the war years) then took a break with their last show conducted in 1958.
Post World War 2
The Canberra Poultry Club was formed in 1945 and included members from around the local region. H.Gaylard was the first secretary. The inaugural show was staged on 8–9 June 1945 at Duntroon hall with subsequent shows conducted at venues throughout Canberra including Causeway and Duntroon halls and the Canberra showground.
Finally in the early 1950s, a permanent home was allocated to the club by the government in two Nissen huts at Riverside Barton. These huts were the venue for meetings and shows for more than 15 years, until the huts were resumed and demolished to make way for residential development.
Modern day
The club again had nowhere to store show cages or stage further shows until the Queanbeyan Show Society came to the rescue and offered the use of their poultry pavilion. Queanbeyan remains our home to this day.
The Canberra Poultry Club had many NSW-based members especially from Queanbeyan. The club put a motion to members at the February 1972 annual general meeting to change the club's name to Canberra Queanbeyan Poultry Club which was duly carried. Mr B.Beaver was appointed secretary of the renamed club and the first annual show under the new name was staged in May 1972.
At least one show has been conducted every year since then. The club's annual show is now staged on the first Sunday of August.
