Bit rich? RAS gets the cream at country women's big scone fundraiser at Sydney Royal

The scones and tea served at the show are world famous. Celebrities, premiers,  dignatories and hundreds of thousands of showgoers have called in since 1947 to enjoy the Country Women’s Association hospitality.

And it’s only getting more popular. This year the busy volunteers of the CWA broke their all-time record, selling more than 50,000 scones. A team of 450 CWA volunteers with duties assigned such clearing tables, washing dishes, making sandwiches,  baking scones and serving teas, sell about  4000 scones a day at the show.

It’s very much a volunteer operation and companies back the bakers ! Donated produce from Australian suppliers includes 2.5 tonne of flour washed down with 18,000 tea bags. The well-oiled machine starts the big baking operation at 6.30am daily and the last scones are baked at 5pm.

 The RAS on its website rates it one of the top experiences at the show:  “the aroma of freshly baked scones, piping-hot tea, and the warmth the CWA ladies who serve the delicious treats with jam and cream are a Show tradition not to be missed. Nothing says Australian hospitality like the Country Women's Association Tea Room at the Show”.

But it comes at a price and the CWA tempers are rising !

There were oohs and ahhs at the CWA state conference at Tumbi Umbi when it was revealed the Royal Agricultural Society doesn’t charge a set fee for rent from the CWA for operating the tea room, but a percentage of takings – believed to be 22 per cent. And the amount keeps rising.

A CWA show committee person raised her concern at the rising amount in rent paid to the RAS each year. It  means the more scones the CWA sells, the more the RAS gets. And it’s not small dough. The biggest fundraiser of the year for the CWA brings in close to $150,000. That means the RAS gets a fair bit of cream from the operation.

 The CWA  funnels the money into disaster and emergency relief. The CWA hierarchy promised to take up the cudgels with the RAS to see if the rent could be reviewed. They may have to sit down for tea and scones to sort it out.  The RAS was not available for a comment when contacted on Thursday.