Victoria’s largest rural expo is back for its 48th year, and if the promise of sheep, shearing and smoky BBQ isn’t enough to get you to Hamilton this weekend, perhaps a night with Shannon Noll will do the trick.

Held over Sunday August 3 and Monday August 4 at the Hamilton Showgrounds, Sheepvention Hamilton is a showcase of West Vic agriculture, innovation and community spirit.

Noll will headline the Sheepvention After Dark Drought Relief Concert at the Hamilton Exhibition and Conference Centre on Sunday, capping off a jam-packed opening day.

Sheepvention 2025: The rundown

Sheepvention itself kicks off early Sunday morning with the Proway Open Victorian Farm Dog Trials and the Virbac Merino sheep show. 

Breeders from across West Vic will showcase top-quality Merino sheep, judged on characteristics like wool quality, body conformation, and breed standards. 

Onlookers can expect to see stud breeders presenting their best animals.

The dog trials are all about demonstrating the skill and obedience of sheepdogs as they guide sheep through a series of challenges and obstacles, controlled by the voice and whistle commands of their handlers. 

The trials are judged on precision, time and stock handling ability.

From there, visitors can watch shearers compete in the Proway Wool Handling and Shearing Competition or explore more than 500 trade sites, including machinery, technology, fencing, breeding and farm innovation stalls.

The kid’s activity zone will be running both days, featuring encounters with animals like calves and goats at a petting zoo, jumping castles, karaoke sessions and other activities.

Face painting, Devonshire tea and a pop-up mini golf course are included in the list of family-friendly attractions.

The Sheepvention After Dark concert will also feature country acts Michael Honan and Bec Milly, as well as a panel discussion with mental health charity Let’s Talk Foundation, opening conversations around mental health awareness and suicide prevention in rural communities.

All concert fundraising efforts will go towards supporting the Let’s Talk Foundation in delivering mental health education to local farmers and ag workers.

Come Monday, it’s the Coprice Victorian Farm Dog Championship that takes centre stage, where winners will be crowned, along with the interbreed round of the sheep show. 

Sheepvention’s new wellness stations will also offer mental health resources to support farmers.

At each site marked with a green dot on the event map, attendees can find free and practical agricultural mental health resources to support your wellbeing, as well as others. 

Whether you're exploring support options, aren't quite ready to speak up yet or need support for someone else - the information for resources will be set up to take what you need, no questions asked.

Food vendors will also be dishing up everything from dumplings and smoked meats to strawberries and spiralled chips.

The full program and tickets for different events are available at www.sheepvention.com.