TRC endorses sponsorship for 2025 Meatstock Toowoomba
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Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) this week (Tuesday, October 15, 2024) beefed up the Region’s autumn events calendar by endorsing a sponsorship package for the 2025 Meatstock Toowoomba event.
TRC Economic Development portfolio spokesperson Cr Edwina Farquhar said Council would allocate $25,000 to help organisers stage next year’s Meatstock Toowoomba at the Toowoomba Showgrounds on March 7 and 8.
Cr Farquhar said Council would continue its sponsorship of the barbecue and music festival following its support for the first two editions of the festival in 2022 and 2023. Council was not approached for sponsorship for this year’s Meatstock.
“This year’s event drew more than 23,800 attendees across three days, most of whom were from outside the Toowoomba Region,” Cr Farquhar said.
“Event organisers calculated the festival saw more than $4.5 million spent in the Region, with 25,000 visitor nights generated by the festival. (This compares with $3.3 million spent in the Region, and 15,900 visitor nights generated by the festival in 2023.)
“Meatstock organisers are confident the proven formulae of combining tasty barbecue with great music will once again draw a combined attendance of 20,000 for the two-day 2025 event.
“Council’s sponsorship package will help the organisers tempt the taste buds of visitors and residents to attend Australia’s largest barbecue and music festival, featuring barbecue and butchering competitions, trade expos and entertainment.
There’s no better place to feast on Australia’s finest beef dishes and other protein, with a range of leading ‘pit masters’ on hand to display their culinary secrets. Council is hopeful of allowing more local suppliers an opportunity to show their produce or contribute services to the popular event.
“Sponsorship of Meatstock 2025 aligns with other events in southern Queensland, such as Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise’s (TSBE) Beef Battle, that highlight the strength of the area’s protein industries and the capability and capacity of leading producers.
“Beef, pork and poultry producers from our broader region joined the recent TSBE tour to Singapore to develop personal contacts and foster trade opportunities.
“The beef industry, especially fattening cattle at expansive feedlot operations across southern Queensland, is a major contributor to our Region’s economy. This sector contributed to the Toowoomba Region recently maintaining its standing as Queensland’s top performing agricultural region with a Gross Value of Production worth $1.27 billion in 2023/24.”
Meatstock is Australia’s largest barbecue and music festival, which has operated annually since 2015. The event is now held in Sydney, Bendigo, Toowoomba (first held in 2022) and Hamilton and attracted around 72,000 people combined attendance across its four locations this year.
The motion was approved at Council’s October Ordinary Meeting.