From Queen of Agriculture to Miss Showgirl: embodying rurality in twentieth-century Australia

Abstract

The first Miss Showgirl was an urban event, held at a major metropolitan show, featuring many ‘city girls’ amongst its participants. The significance of the contest lies in the ways it was embraced by rural communities, becoming a leading event at the several hundred agricultural shows held annually throughout Australia. The cultural meanings of the Miss Showgirl contests are embedded in the evolving concepts and values that exist or are constructed by and in relation to rural communities and, in particular, to rural womanhood.