Silo centre rising from ashes for Yorke Peninsula Field Days
A unique new building is appearing at the field day site in Paskeville as organisers prepare for thousands of South Australians to descend for the biennial event starting on Tuesday.
As thousands of South Australians prepare to descend for next week’s Yorke Peninsula Field Days, a unique new corrugated-iron function centre is emerging from the ashes of the old site offices.
The unusual new centre designed as a series of silos was expected to open to the public later in the year after the field days’ team was forced to rebuild its Paskeville offices following a 2019 arson attack that destroyed the original complex.
Yorke Peninsula Field Days (YPFD) CEO Peter Anderson said the local community and State Government have strongly supported the ongoing redevelopment – amid planning for the bumper biennial event running from September 30 to October 2.
“A number of significant regional industries and individuals came to our aid and offered to sponsor with varying figures,” he said.
“It made a very clear demonstration that they’re keen to see the centre completed and they’re keen to actually use it.”
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YPFD received a $400,000 grant from the South Australian Government as part of the Enabling Infrastructure Program to fund the development of the function centre.
It was being constructed from corrugated metal silos and connects to the completed office building.
“The function centre will be a showcase building within the area, with a unique silo design with vaulted ceilings,” Anderson said.
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The function centre—which will be used for weddings, conferences and more—was expected to be available for public use before the end of the year.
“There is still work to be done with the internal fit out before the centre is able to be used but we’re hopeful that before the end of the year it will be complete and available for community use,” Anderson said.
The completion of the external structure would be completed just in time for this year’s YPFD event.
Yorke Peninsula hosts the oldest Field Days event in Australia—first being held in 1895—with other events taking place in Eyre Peninsula and the Riverland region.
The biennial event would this year showcase the “biggest and best” innovations in agriculture—from machinery to farming technology—and show-off the new buildings.
Anderson said the upcoming event would provide a major economic boost for the region, with more than 20,000 people and over 500 exhibitors expected to attend.
“It’s a major source of income for the region—we bring in about $5 million to the local community in a variety of ways,” he said.
This year’s event was set to also have drone demonstrations, sheepdog trials and fashion parades along with numerous ag vehicle, food, grain, camping, education and tourism exhibitors.
“There is quite a raft of events taking place over the three days, so I think whoever might come to visit—whether they’re from a regional family or from Adelaide—will find something that will be entertaining for them,” Anderson said.
