CEO Update: February 2026

As EGM, Melbourne Royal Show, Hannah will lead the overall planning, curation and delivery of the event to maximise the appeal and success of the Melbourne Royal Show. Reporting directly to Hannah are four Senior Managers leading their respective portfolios:

• Agricultural Show Competitions – Martin Garoni
• Commercial & Partnerships – Melanie Orval
• Entertainment & Experiences – Olivia Belvedere
• Marketing & Communications –to be appointed

As EGM, Melbourne Showgrounds, Sam Buckley will lead our team focused on maximising venue utilisation and revenue, along with growing and further enhancing the value and reputation of our Melbourne Royal Food and Beverage Awards. Reporting directly to Sam are three Senior Managers leading their respective portfolios:

• Sales & Growth - Andrea-Jane Strudwick
• Food & Beverage Awards – Kirrily Waldhorn
• Event Planning – Tara Green

Both Hannah and Sam will share updates with you throughout the year regarding the Melbourne Royal Show and Melbourne Showgrounds, including in the Melbourne Royal Newsletter.

Our new catering partner starts 1 April

During January, we were thrilled to announce the appointment of Gema Group as the new catering partner at Melbourne Showgrounds, including for the Melbourne Royal Show, following a comprehensive and competitive tender process.

Gema Group is a major catering partner of some of Australia’s best sporting venues, including AAMI Park, Accor Stadium, and CommBank Stadium. They are also partners in some of the biggest major events across the country, namely: the Australian Grand Prix, Moto GP, Supercars, Avalon International Airshow, and LIV golf, to name but a few. 

Gema is committed to making a significant investment to maximise the appeal and success of the food and beverage offering at Melbourne Showgrounds for the benefit of our clients, patrons and stakeholders. They have a highly experienced and professional team with considerable event and venue catering expertise, that can offer Melbourne Showgrounds clients access to an exciting array of dining and catering options to suit events of every size and scale.

The versatility and size of Melbourne Showgrounds means that we need to cater for a huge variety of events, including the Melbourne Royal Show, along with banquet dinners for up to 1100 guests, large exhibitions, trade shows, product launches, music and community festivals, weddings and much more.

Gema Group will officially commence on 1 April 2026, bringing with them extensive experience as one of Australia’s leading catering and hospitality providers. Gema Group’s depth of experience, strong reputation and innovative approach to hospitality align well with our vision for Melbourne Showgrounds and the Melbourne Royal Show. We are looking forward to working with them to further enhance the value, quality, variety and uniqueness of our food and beverage offering at Melbourne Showgrounds, particularly for the Melbourne Royal Show.

As we transition to our new catering partner, effective from 1 April 2026, we thank and acknowledge the Moonee Valley Racing Club (MVRC) for delivering catering services on behalf of Melbourne Royal at Melbourne Showgrounds since 2021. Their hospitality division, Dean & McPherson Catering, has provided outstanding food and service for Melbourne Showgrounds events during their tenure, and we have highly valued and appreciated the mutually beneficial catering partnership.

Dean & McPherson catering will continue to deliver catering services through to 31 March 2026, and we will work closely with both Dean & McPherson and Gema Group to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.

Melbourne Showgrounds forthcoming events

Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Super Show
Wednesday 18 – Sunday 22 February 2026

The forthcoming 2026 Victorian Caravan, Camping & Touring Super Show is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet. Held from 18 – 22 February, this is a must-attend event for adventurers, families, and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Best wishes to Caravan Industry Victoria (CIV) CEO Daniel Sahlberg and his team ahead of what will be a fantastic show. Further details can be found here.

Melbourne Rodeo
Saturday 28 February 2026

The heart-pounding Rodeo Stampede Series — Australia’s largest rodeo circuit, presented by the National Rodeo Company, is coming to Melbourne Showgrounds. Gates open at 2pm, with the main rodeo action starting at 5pm. When the dust settles, stick around for an unforgettable after-party with the live band keeping the energy high well into the night. Tickets are available here.

In closing, I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge those affected by the devastating bushfires that impacted large parts of Victoria during January. The fires had wide-ranging, catastrophic effects on communities, the environment, businesses and the economy. Our thoughts are very much with those who lost property, livestock, crops, vineyards, stock, animals and personal belongings. We are aware of several Melbourne Royal members and exhibitors who were significantly impacted, including Neil Penny (Poultry Committee), Fowles Wines, Still Moon Wines, BlackJack Wines, Sutton Grange Winery, Maidenii, Love Shack Brewing Co, Rock and Ranges, and Shedshaker Brewing. On behalf of the Board, management, staff and the wider Melbourne Royal community, we extend our sincere best wishes and support to those impacted by the fires.

Brad Jenkins
Chief Executive
Melbourne Royal