Beef Australia

{{Short description|Agricultural trade fair}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

Beef Australia is an international exposition held triennially in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. The week-long expo has been held in the city during the month of May triennially since the inaugural event in 1988.Lewis, Peter [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/landline/old-site/stories/s845798.htm Industry meets for Beef Expo 2003], Landline, ABC Television, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 4 May 2003. Retrieved 6 December 2017.Sara, Sally [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/landline/old-site/content/2006/s1631801.htm Best beef to go on show], Landline, ABC Television, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 7 May 2006. Retrieved 6 December 2017.Kruger, Anne [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/landline/old-site/content/2008/s2564966.htm Rocky Road Test], Landline, ABC Television, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 11 May 2009. Retrieved 6 December 2017. The event is promoted and used as an opportunity to facilitate international trade opportunities for those involved in the beef industry.Neales, Sue [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/chinese-look-to-take-beef-by-the-horns/news-story/a277943464bba7272df492c4fde7b7e3 Chinese look to take beef by the horns], The Australian, News Corp Australia, 10 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2017.Angus, Blair [http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5049023/shake-hands-with-the-world-at-beef-2018 Beef 2018: shake hands with the world], Queensland Country Life, Fairfax Media, 10 November 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017. However, it is also considered more generally as a celebration of the local beef industry in Central Queensland.Courtney, Pip [http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/landline/old-site/content/2015/s4233463.htm Beefing It Up], Landline, ABC Television, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 10 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

In 2015, almost 90,000 people attended the event.Zonca, Craig [http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2015-05-08/beef-expo-hailed-a-great-success-by-organisers/6455298 Organisers claim big success at Rockhampton beef expo], Queensland Country Hour, ABC Rural, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 8 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

Held at the Rockhampton Showgrounds in the suburb of Wandal, the event usually consists of cattle judging, a symposium, seminars, organised tours of local cattle properties, educational information for children, numerous trade exhibitions and live entertainment. Beef Australia has also become known in recent years for attracting numerous celebrity chefs to the city to give live demonstrations on how to cook various beef dishes.Sparkes, David [http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2015-05-11/master-chef-tarek-ibrahim-discusses-australian-beef/6460486 Middle Eastern master chef says Australia has a huge opportunity to build on its halal system], Queensland Country Hour, ABC Rural, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 11 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.[https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/australias-worst-vegetarian-city-revealed-rockhamp/2637486/#/0 Australia's Worst Vegetarian City Revealed], The Morning Bulletin, News Corp Australia, 13 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

In 2015, celebrity chefs at Beef Australia included Alvin Leung, Matt Golinski, Alastair McLeod and Ben O'Donoghue as well as contestants from television programs MasterChef Australia and My Kitchen Rules.[https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/ready-steady-beef-capital/2614531 Matt Golinski to be among celebrity chefs at beef fest], The Morning Bulletin, News Corp Australia, 22 April 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.[https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/beef-australia-2015-boosts-capricorn-coast/2636554/#/0 Celebrity chefs' time out from Beef Australia on Cap Coast], The Morning Bulletin, News Corp Australia, 16 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017. In 2017, it was announced that Hiroyuki Sakai and Curtis Stone would be appearing at the 2018 event.[http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/4651883/japans-iron-chef-to-star-at-beef-2018-photos Iron Chef Hiroyuki at Beef 2018], Queensland Country Life, Fairfax Media, 12 May 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.[http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/5012991/curtis-stone-at-beef-australia Curtis Stone at Beef Australia], Queensland Country Life, Fairfax Media, 25 October 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017. Australian author Bryce Courtney and Australian artist Hugh Sawrey are also among the celebrities that have attended the event since its inception in 1988.Angus, Blair [http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/4974670/embrace-beef-australias-fine-30-years A 30-year evolution of Beef Australia], Queensland Country Life, Fairfax Media, 9 October 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017. Beef Australia also attracts Australian political leaders, who often use it to announce policies relating to the agricultural sector.[https://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/05/08/07/43/100m-to-improve-cattle-roads-in-north Northern cattle roads to get $100m upgrade], 9News, Nine Network, 8 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.Zonca, Craig; Burton, Lydia; McCarthy, Marty [http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2015-05-07/joyce-live-export-australia/6452364 Federal Agriculture Minister supports new live export shipping facility, as industry group renews calls for permit system shake-up], ABC Rural, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 7 May 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2017.[https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/videos/qld-premier-visits-beef-expo/13124 Queensland Premier visits beef expo], The Morning Bulletin, News Corp Australia, 8 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2017. The expo attracts considerable media interest.[http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/29/1051381942303.html Beef 2003 expo begins], The Age, Fairfax Media, 29 April 2003. Retrieved 6 December 2017.Robert, Alice [http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/05/09/3499113.htm Jenny does the weather from Beef], ABC Capricornia, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 9 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2017.Neales, Sue [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/good-genes-add-up-to-the-nearest-thing-to-superbulls/news-story/c071448489620ca6af456033f0da8010?sv=cca8e757166cfb4be4f141d518ac1d8c Good genes add up to the nearest thing to superbulls], The Australian, 12 May 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

A new mascot for Beef Australia, Johnny Stockman, was announced in 2017.Butterworth, Kelly [http://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/4670215/rockhamptons-beef-australia-2018-launch Rocky ready for Beef Australia 2018], Queensland Country Life, Fairfax Media, 17 May 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.

2021 was Beef Australia XII, with Bryce Camm as its chairman.{{Cite web|date=2021-05-02|title=What's happening at Beef Australia 2021|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-05-03/beef-australia-2021-abc-rural-coverage/100111028|access-date=2021-05-03|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}} XIII will return in 2024.