The Sydney Royal Frog and Reptile Show is proudly brought to you by Wild Australia Expos and Australian Wildlife Displays.
Wild Australia Expos has been producing the Wild Australia Expo and The Australian Frog & Reptile Show since 2004. These events, over three days, introduced to Australia a format for showcasing our reptiles & amphibians, on a scale not seen in this country before.
The events attracted upwards of 10,000 people to each, and whilst not being hugely successful from a financial point of view, the success for breeders, exhibitors and herpetologists was there.
However, something was lacking, and this was that these events did not attract many outsiders, with the majority of visitors already holding a keepers licence. An objective of Wild Australia Expos was not being met. This was to expose and introduce the hobby of herpetology to a broad spectrum of society, to create an awareness that reptiles can be kept as pets, and through the increase in numbers this would produce, pressure the regulators into treating pet reptiles the same as cats and dogs.
In 2011, through the coincidence of a late Easter and the unavailability of a suitable venue, we were invited to run the reptile competition inside the Easter Show. We accepted the opportunity at the expense of the three day event, a difficult decision to make, but made with the best interests of the broader herp community.
Now instead of exposing the hobby to 10,000 reptile keepers, we can expose it to 1,000,000 cat & dog lovers, 300,000 kids who would like to have a different type of pet for show & tell at school, 300,000 parents who put off owning a cat and a dog because they want to travel, or because they don't want the carpet soiled, etc, etc, etc. With this type of exposure, a new pet option is planted into the minds of visitors. When they view a beautifully landscaped terrarium replete with diamond python, or green tree frog, when they learn how easy it is to keep the animals, & kids see how 'cool' they are, a reptile as a pet becomes a viable alternative.
What does this mean for the hobby? If you are a breeder, or thinking of getting into breeding, it means more sales, more breeding stock, more morphs, more pure breeds. If you are retailer, it means more sales, more teaching courses, and the ability to capture a whole new audience. For the hobbyist and the hobby, with an increase in numbers of keepers, comes an increase in the pressure on the regulators to stop over regulating, retailers will stock a wider selection of goods, prices will come down, and the variety of animals will go up. We all benefit.
Whilst some may bemoan the demise of our traditional three day event, take a moment to think about what you are missing, what is it that you had with our events that you don't have now. The breeders are still around, the retail outlets are still there, and the social aspect lives on through the herp societies. If you you are not getting any satisfaction with these, let them know, because it is up to them to convert the surging interest in reptiles into a valuable resource.
The following correspondence sets out the marshalling procedure for displaying your animal and it also provides you with the hygiene protocol all entrants must adhere to. Failure to adhere to these simple rules will result in disqualification of your animal and/or removal of any award.
All finalists must present their animal for inspection between 7.30am and 8.00am on the 21st of April for Pythons, Frogs & Geckos, or 22nd of April for Lizards, and Frogs & Geckos not present the day before. All animals must remain on display until 5.00pm that day. Removal of animals before this time will forfeit any winnings. No animals are to be removed from their enclosure during the show unless a member of the show staff is present.
We supply the enclosure, substrate, lighting and heat. You need to supply water, water container and unobtrusive perch if you want. Some keepers also prefer to bring their own light bulb to provide more light and heat than the 60w supplied. All enclosures use an edison screw fitting (E27).
Judging will take place between 8.15am and 9.15am. If in the unlikely event a judge requires closer inspection of your animal, you or your handler may be required to remove the animal from the enclosure.
If you are not the registered entrant of the animal, then you must have a letter of delegation from the registered entrant permitting you to handle the animal for the duration of the show.
Reptiles should be presented in a white or light-coloured cotton bag or pillowslip inside a ventilated sturdy clear plastic container with securely clipped on lid. Amphibians should be presented in a ventilated sturdy clear plastic container with securely clipped on lid. All bags and containers must be labeled so as to identify the owner.
Once your animal passes scrutineering, you will be provided with a number. This number corresponds to an enclosure within the Best in Show hall. You must proceed directly to this enclosure and place your animal in it. Lock the enclosure and retain one of the keys, and return the other key, clearly labeled with your name, to the scrutineers. The container that you brought the animal in can be stored underneath the trestle tables.
You will be supplied with an exhibitor pass and instructions on how to gain access to the showground before the show opens.
It is agreed by those that leave their animal unattended that the show organisers may be required to move the animal in certain circumstances.
It is a requirement that all animals be on display until close of show. If exceptional circumstances require early departure, please report to the show organisers.
We are expecting a large number of the general public to be circulating around the animals on display in the competition. Please present well, and be patient and courteous in answering any questions they might have about your animal. It would also be helpful if you could bring along a sign providing some information about your animal.
2025 Sydney Royal Frog & Reptile Competition
21st April, 2025 Snakes, Frogs & Geckos
22nd April, 2025 Lizards, Frogs & Geckos
Email a photo of your entries from 1 Feb 2025 to
Stay tuned for an announcement from our fabulous sponsors.
Download the attached map that shows the location of the Frog & Reptile display, and the locations for arrival & departure of entrants into the competition.
April 21 & 22, 2025