Miss Show Girl 1957-1996
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MISS SHOW GIRL <strong>1957</strong>-<strong>1996</strong><br />
THE QUEST FOR MISS<br />
SHOW GIRL<br />
Seeking: ‘a young attractive girl with good<br />
grooming and personality who is worthy of<br />
the title.’ (newspaper advertisement, <strong>1957</strong>)<br />
The search for Victoria’s inaugural <strong>Miss</strong> <strong>Show</strong><br />
<strong>Girl</strong> commenced in August <strong>1957</strong>. A joint<br />
initiative of the Sun-News-Pictorial and the<br />
Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RASV),<br />
the quest was publicised in the media and via<br />
regional <strong>Show</strong> societies. The competition was<br />
open to ‘All single girls between 16 and 25 by<br />
<strong>Show</strong> Day, irrespective of whether they are<br />
Victorian or interstate visitors to the <strong>Show</strong>.’<br />
This was the first such quest run in Australia<br />
with the other states establishing <strong>Miss</strong><br />
<strong>Show</strong> <strong>Girl</strong> events in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.<br />
Participants entered the <strong>1957</strong> quest by<br />
sending a head and shoulders photograph of<br />
themselves together with their full name, age,<br />
address and occupation to The Sun offices.<br />
(<strong>Girl</strong>s without suitable photographs could<br />
have them taken free of charge by a Sun<br />
photographer at The Sun offices).<br />
.<br />
<strong>1957</strong><br />
220 young women compete for the<br />
title The Sun <strong>Miss</strong> Country <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Girl</strong><br />
<strong>1957</strong> and £250 cash.<br />
Kay Nielsen, a shop assistant from<br />
Thornbury, bursts into tears when she is<br />
announced the winner.<br />
This is the first such quest in Australia<br />
- other states introduce <strong>Miss</strong> <strong>Show</strong><br />
<strong>Girl</strong> events in the 1960s, 70s<br />
and 80s.<br />
<strong>Miss</strong> <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Girl</strong> 1962 Margaret Mezaks<br />
.<br />
1958<br />
74 regional finalists from Victorian<br />
country <strong>Show</strong>s contest the <strong>Miss</strong> <strong>Show</strong><br />
<strong>Girl</strong> title at the Royal Melbourne <strong>Show</strong>.<br />
50,000 people watch the <strong>Miss</strong> <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Girl</strong><br />
finalists complete a lap of the main<br />
arena in open cars.<br />
<strong>Miss</strong> Maryborough Finalists, <strong>1957</strong>. Fairlie Burkinshaw (now McDonald) far right
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