The biggest beef exposition in the Southern Hemisphere just got bigger with the return of international guests and a throng of passionate locals fueling record crowds at Beef2024.
Support for the event has boomed post-Covid as people converged on Rockhampton, the Beef Capital of Australia, for the week-long festival of cattle culture.
Ticket sales surged in 2024 with 119,324 gate movements through the gates of the Rockhampton Showgrounds over the course of the week, up from 115,866 three years ago.
“Beef is back, the Covid blues are behind us, and we couldn’t be happier,” Beef Australia Chair, Bryce Camm said.
“We’ve had people from across the country converge on Rockhampton and over 600 international delegates fly in from every continent on Earth. From Brazil to Botswana, 35 countries were represented here this week to see the best of the best in our industry.”
Senator Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry attended Beef2024 and has praised the work of all who have contributed to making the event the best yet.
“What an incredibly successful event we had, with record crowds showcasing Australia’s beef industry and Rockhampton to the world”, Minister Watt said.
“It was my pleasure to attend four days of Beef to meet with industry, see the great steps being made with sustainability, and enjoy some delicious steak.
“The Albanese Government was proud to support Beef 2024 with a record $6 million investment.
“This year’s Beef was an extraordinary success thanks to the work of the organisers and all involved.”
Global audiences for Beef TV
The profile of the event was raised even higher by the premiere of Beef TV.
Six rings of judging action were livestreamed during Beef2024, with a seventh channel hosting live interviews with some of the most influential people in the business.
More than 79,000 unique website views were recorded across five days of broadcasting and 40 hours of content. Approximately 60% of viewers were tuning in from overseas, with the biggest audiences watching from Indonesia, Philippines, and Venezuela.
“When the idea of Beef TV was conceived, we were confident it would have an enthusiastic audience but we have been blown away by the figures and the response,” Mr Camm said.
“It shows there truly is international interest in Australian beef production and practices, and we are showcasing them to the world.”
A note of thanks
Mr Camm said he wanted to pass on his appreciation to all those who made Beef2024 a success and thanked local residents.
“We really appreciate the patience of the people of Rockhampton for bearing with us as we play host to tens of thousands of people,” Mr Camm said.
“I’d also like to thank all our wonderful volunteers, sponsors, competitors, exhibitors and, of course, our guests. This event does not happen without the contributions of people who are passionate about our industry, and they ensure it has a bright and bold future.”
-Beef Australia 2024