Abstract
Profound environmental differences between Europe and Australia compelled early European settlers to acquire and develop new farming technologies to make cropping a viable activity in the new country. This article demonstrates how competitive agricultural events facilitated the development of rural society in the colony of Victoria. A large number of annual agricultural shows and contests held by local farmers’ associations with active government support encouraged innovation and experimentation among producers by awarding prizes for the best results. Such events further created an effective medium through which agricultural improvements were rapidly disseminated among the rural population. These special events had an important role in generating and spreading new production knowledge in the conditions of an underdeveloped economy.
