Rosalie hands over the books
AFTER 12 years as treasurer of the Yorke Peninsula Field Days, Rosalie Pearce is stepping down from the role but plans to continue contributing behind the scenes.
This year’s event was her sixth as treasurer — a voluntary position that has included managing accounts receivable and payable, banking, organising guest speakers and preparing public announcements, all involving long days in the lead-up to the event.
Rosalie says it has been a joy to work with teams of dedicated people behind the scenes, many of whom also volunteer their time to deliver the biennial field days at Paskeville — one of the Yorke Peninsula’s biggest events.
She will remain involved as a committee member and continue contributing to the field days’ general interest program through her involvement with the Cunliffe Women in Agriculture and Business Bureau, in partnership with the Arthurton Women’s Agricultural Bureau.
“I just absolutely love being involved, and I’m passionate about the Field Days,” she says.
“I’ve been part of many great and passionate committees who do their best to plan a successful event.
“They’re a great group of people and have been lovely to work with.”
Rosalie emphasises the importance of the field days as a fundraiser for local community groups, which provide services during the event.
These include Kadina Friends of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, which manages the parenting centre, or local sporting and community clubs that staff entry gates and food stalls.
Many generations of Rosalie’s family have been involved in farming and her grandfather, Leslie Tremelling, had a dairy farm close to Kadina and used to deliver milk to householders with a horse and cart.
She and her husband Geoff raised their family on his family’s property at Alford, and the field days have long been part of her life.
Rosalie says organising the guest speakers has been one of the highlights.
Over the years, guests have included celebrity gardeners Costa Georgiadis, Jane Edmonson and Hannah Moloney; chefs Callum Hahn, Simon Bryant and Janelle Bloom; and local author Tricia Stringer.
“We’ve had some really interesting characters over the years,” she says.
“Costa was the pick of the bunch — he was so popular.”
Rosalie admits the lead-up to these appearances was not without nerves.
“You know you’ve booked them and they’ve signed a contract, but to me, you never know you’ve got them until they arrive at the site,” she says.
“I breathe a sigh of relief when they phone and say they’re finally at Paskeville.”
Despite the vast amount of information available online, Rosalie believes the physical experience of the field days remains essential.
“It’s the touch and feel and the look,” she says.
“You can look at a picture on the internet, but people still want to see the machinery.
“And people catch up at the field days — it’s still needed.
“People can get quite lonely if they’re just looking at a screen.”
Seeing the new office completed at the Paskeville site and the current construction of the conference centre have also been highlights.
Rosalie looks forward to helping establish the new centre as a year-round venue.
Now stepping back from her role as treasurer, she plans to spend more time supporting her other passion — the Royal Flying Doctor Service and its Copper Coast and District Support Group.
