Lamb Paddock to Plate Story at Sydney Royal Easter Show
08 April 2019
Visitors to the Sydney Royal Easter Show can immerse themselves in the story of how Australia produces the greatest lamb in the world, from the farm to the consumer, through a 360-degree virtual reality experience with Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) presence at this year’s Show led by its virtual reality Australian Lamb Paddock to Plate Story.
The Australian Lamb Paddock to Plate Story enables consumers to experience the industry through a virtual reality headset from the comfort of the Australian Good Meat Coach, taking them into the world of Australian sheep farming, transportation, processing, and end markets, such as butchers.
It builds on the huge success of MLA’s Australian Beef Paddock to Plate Story, which uses the same technology to share the beef production story with the community, and featured at the 2018 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
The video features lamb producer Michael Craig, from Harrow, Victoria, and other stakeholders from throughout the value chain including Paul Christopher, Manager of Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange; Mark Inglis, Farm Assurance & Supply Chain Manager, JBS, Brooklyn, Melbourne; and butcher, Gary McBean, Gary’s Quality Meats, Prahran Markets, Prahran.
Well-known Australian chef, restaurateur, presenter and food writer, Karen Martini, presents the virtual reality tour.
MLA Community Programs Communications Manager Fiona Young said since the launch of the Australian Beef Paddock to Plate Story at the EKKA in Brisbane in August 2017, more than 32,500 people had experienced Australia’s beef production system.
“We’re now focused on showcasing Australia’s world-renowned lamb industry through this fully immersive and highly engaging resource, to continue to meet the rise in consumer interest in the provenance of food,” Ms Young said.
“Recent research for MLA shows that only about one in five meat eaters have a good understanding of the Australian red meat industry and there are now almost 20% fewer Australians from urban centres visiting cattle or sheep farms annually compared to eight years ago.
“The Lamb Paddock to Plate Story further demonstrates to consumers that the red meat industry is transparent and open. Community engagement and trust is integral to a sustainable and prosperous industry in the long-term.”
The Australian Lamb Paddock to Plate Story is showing daily from 9am – 7pm on weekends and public holidays and 9am – 6.30pm Monday to Fridays at the Woolworths Food Farm Pavilion for the duration of the Show.
As part of this year’s Royal Easter Show, MLA’s Australian Good Meat platform will be sponsoring sessions at the Australian Women’s Weekly Theatre Kitchen within the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome.
The Australian Good Meat cooking demonstrations within the Theatre Kitchen allows visitors to pick up tips, brand new recipes and even taste what’s cooking at the free live cooking demonstrations.
The Australian Good Meat sessions will be at 11am for six days between 12 – 17 April 2019, and will feature Australian Good Meat Beef and Lamb recipes as well as MLA chefs and red meat producers talking about how they produce top quality Australian Beef and Lamb.
The audience will gain a better understanding of Australian Beef and Lamb production, the different cuts of meat and how best to cook them.
Photo caption: The Australian Lamb Paddock to Plate Story enables consumers to experience the industry through a virtual reality headset from the comfort of the Australian Good Meat Coach.
