The organisation celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, and the birthday girls are tirelessly pumping out mouth-watering tea and scones throughout the Ekka.
Janice Bryant, Pine Rivers and Mary Martyn, Oxley, both agree that while cooking at the show is an exhausting experience, it’s no chore to them.
Janice, the chairman of the South Coast division catering committee, has been involved in the QCWA for 15 years, and has been volunteering at the Ekka for seven.
She joined the Pine Rivers branch to help out her fellow country women, but said the involvement has provided much more than that.
“It’s very exciting and it’s lovely having all these friends.”
Janice said while she would love to have the chance to see more of the Ekka, having happy customers come in made it worthwhile.
“We have so many people leaving and saying, “They were the best scones we’ve ever tasted”.
“It is lovely to be able to come back here and tell the ladies that.”
Mary, the secretary of the South Coast division catering committee, was lured in by the QCWA in 1991 to conduct a choir, and 21 years later, still finds the friendship, love and care from her fellow members too special to leave.
One of Mary’s favourite parts of the Ekka is when people enter the bustling kitchen with tales of their fondest QCWA stories.
And despite her hard work at the show, said the reward was priceless.
“It’s worth it to us. We learn about each other, and we learn about friendship.”
Regardless of their charming smiles and cheery personalities, when asked the secret to a perfect scone, both Janice and Mary agree that it is just that - a secret.
“We just say to everybody that you have to be really light-fingered and mix them with a knife,” said Janice.
Janice and Mary estimate that they have sold up to 1000 scones a day so far, from their little makeshift kitchen, with only three ladies actually baking.
Janice and Mary said they were overwhelmed with the inundation of support they had received from show patrons, with many vowing to volunteer next year.
“We’ve even had a few men come in over the last couple of days asking to join, and Geoffery Rush also said he wants to be a member!”
The ladies are selling everything from scones, burgers and cakes and the humble vegemite sandwich during the Ekka.
“If somebody wants a baby bottle warmed up, we even do that,” Mary said.