The upcoming Albion Park Show has been called off as the showground opens its gates to those evacuated from bushfire-ravaged areas across the Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands.
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And the local community has been quick to open its hearts to the few who've already sought refuge at the showground, which is one of a handful of designated large animal evacuation centres on the South Coast.
On Sunday morning, John and Josie Ponticello said they'd been overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers since they'd fled to the showground with their two young children, a dog, two horses and a few belongings on Friday.
"We live on a 120 acre property at Robertson, at the edge of the escarpment," Mrs Ponticello said. "My car blew up a couple of weeks ago, so we weren't prepared for an evacuation in the middle of the night.
"We have two small children, aged two and five, a pony and my horse who's only one and has never been on a float before.
"So we came early, ahead of Saturday's heatwave, so we could do it with minimal stress and in our own time."
While Mr Ponticello has been back and forth to the property, to prepare it in the event of bushfire, and help his neighbours - his wife and children have been well looked after.
"The locals are so nice - the first night a woman brought us some toys for the kids and others have brought food and water and ice blocks. We can't thank them enough."
Grateful too were Isabel and Allen Hyett who left Nowra Showground on Saturday to set up camp at Albion Park with their two dogs.
They've had a harrowing few weeks with fire creeping ever closer to their Sussex Inlet home. They're not even sure it's still standing.
"On New Year's Eve we went to an evacuation centre close to our home and while we had to sleep on the floor, the people there were so lovely to me and my husband who has Parkinson's and dementia," Mrs Hyett said.
"When we could get out we drove to Nowra, where we'd stored our caravan and spent a night at the showground there. But we didn't feel safe there so we decided to drive to Albion Park.
"People have been here helping us set up, leaving food for us, offering to do our washing or provide a bed if need be. There's some wonderful people here. Last night was the first time in weeks I haven't felt stressed and tense."
It's stories like these that let the Albion Park AH&I Association committee members know they've done the right thing cancelling the 2020 show - which had been scheduled for January 18 and 19.
Association secretary Marilyn Connelly said with the showground's role as a self-care evacuation centre, it had been an easy decision.
"We made the decision to cancel on Saturday due to the bushfire emergency, and the ongoing risk and poor air quality," she said.
"Also we couldn't have held our fireworks, or the demolition derby given the state of the ground due to drought. So we made the decision to cancel, and not just postpone the show."
