Beef Australia, Media Release, 13 May 2024

The biggest beef exposition in the Southern Hemisphere just got bigger with the return of international guests and a throng of passionate locals fuelling 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 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 per cent 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.”

Beef2024 quick facts

Visitors

• 119,324 gate movements
• 5,133 school students (primary and secondary)
• 617 international delegates from 35 different countries
• More than 40 Australian political leaders including the Prime Minister, the Queensland Premier and Queensland Cabinet

Cattle

• $44m worth of cattle on site

Commercial Cattle Championship

• 1,685 head of cattle sold at auction
• Sale of Champions: $3.9m
• Total weight of commercial cattle: 1,035.45 tonnes

Stud Cattle Championship

• More than 1,600 cattle on site at Beef2024 including parading and exhibiting
• More than 438,000kg of stud cattle (bulls only weighed)
• Heaviest bull on site: 1,152kg (Wattle Grove Hall of Fame S723)
• Approximately 4,000 cubic metres of pine shavings (sawdust) used
• 3.3km of cattle panels on site

Food and beverage

• 10 celebrity chefs
• 3 a la carte restaurants
• 34 food vendors
• 12,538 meals served at ticketed Beef Australia functions
• Approximately 35.5 tonnes of beef served

Beef TV

• 40 hours of live content across five days
• 79,000 unique website views
• 60 per cent international viewership
• Top 5 countries by viewership: Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, Venezuela, Paraguay

Beef Australia is proudly presented by the Australian Government and the Queensland Government.