Dandenong Show lost one of its “institutions” in Jack Rae OAM last December.
Rae, 94, was one of many great, highly-regarded stalwarts for the show that died in the past 12 months.
Others included past presidents John Crichton, Joan Goffin and Ken Masters, as well as exhibition steward Margaret Murray and PA organiser Gary Mortlake.
Long-standing member John Follett fondly remembers this cast of community-minded servants: “That’s life. All we can do is appreciate that we’ve known them.
“And appreciate they were part of your life.”
The fact that the show has survived 151 years is testament to these late contributors, he says.
Crichton, who served as president in 1997, was described as a “very valued member” of the show’s society, who organised sponsorship including for its former athletics event.
A show life member, Crichton started as a barman at the Show.
Follett recalls how his then-young sons trying to get the attention of Crichton to get a drink of lemonade. The bar is still there, but not used for the same purpose now.
Crichton was also involved in numerous groups in Dandenong, including the Dandenong and District Historical Society, baseball and the Festival of Music and Art for Youth.
Meanwhile, Goffin, a 1994 president and life member, and her husband Len were associated with the much-loved dog exhibits.
President in 1979 and life member, Masters was long involved in show security, looking after the Greaves Reserve gates.
A banker by trade, he was instrumental in initiating funding for the Show Society’s administrative building at the showgrounds. Before that, the society meetings were held in various venues around Dandenong, Follet says.
Arts and crafts section organiser Murray was also involved in the show for about 30 years. Her descendants are still associated with the show.
Mortlake was the show’s “PA man”, who took over from stalwart Robbie Williams as announcer at Dandenong, Berwick, Warragul, Bunyip, Lang Lang, Buckham, Yarram and Foster shows.
The same business is looking after this year’s Dandy Show.
And as for Rae, he was regarded as a legend that spanned not just Dandenong Show for 70 years but the show scene across Australia.
He served as president in 1957 and 1985, as well as a long-standing committee member and steward.
According to his friend John Follett, Rae had “exceptional” judgement of animals, and got involved in every section of the show “whether it was horses, sheep, cattle, arts and crafts”.
“He has been a major person in my life.”
Show committee member Graeme Marriott describes Rae as an “institution of the Dandenong Show”.
“He had been here more than anyone. He joined the committee when he was 19 and he was there up until his 90s.
“Jack did everything and he knew everybody.”
His daughter Noelene King has followed Rae’s footsteps on the organising committee.
As a teen, Mr Rae walked droves of cattle to Dandenong Showgrounds from his family’s farm in Narre Warren North, where he lived and looked out across the Dandenong Ranges for most of his life.
He joined the agricultural show society’s committee as an 18-year-old following in the footsteps of his father, George.
And remained there for 70-plus years helping to organise each annual show.
The fourth-generation cattle farmer was a former show president in 1957 and 1985. He is a life member of the Dandenong and Berwick show societies.
At last November’s Dandy Show, he was listed as the deputy chief steward. He sat in at the cattle section and was guest at the show president’s afternoon tea, along with sister Thelma, brother Bert, daughters and nieces.
In 2018, the Dandenong Show Society named its heritage cattle sale ring, the Jack Rae OAM Pavilion.
Mr Rae had been instrumental in saving the sale ring, signage and other relics after Dandenong’s stock markets were closed in 1998.
Similarly, a new building at the Akoonah Park showgrounds in Berwick was also bestowed Mr Rae’s name in 2021.
He was the Royal Melbourne Agricultural Show ringmaster from 1984 to 1995 and received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to primary industry.
