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Reed exhibition manager Soren Norgaard told International Longwall News it had been a challenging few days due to the weather.
“(We will) probably end up being down on numbers due to the wet weather,” Norgaard said.
"Saying that it has still been very well attended, particularly for exhibitors who have done very well."
Total attendance figures will be broken down and audited after the show for a demographic break down of the professions attending and sent to exhibitors.
Reed group exhibition director John Gorton said the low numbers should be nothing to be disappointed about as QME was still the strongest Australian mining show outside of AIMEX.
There were some complaints over the rain which left many outside exhibitors stranded in their stands surrounded by mudded walk ways.
Given the tough conditions exhibitors were still buoyant but nearly all outsiders said it had been a quieter exhibition than in previous years.
Some exhibitors told ILN there should have been a better contingency plan for the weather which kept people away.
“I personally think we did everything that we could, within reason, to manage the situation,” Norgaard said.
“Our operations team worked night and day to put down wood chips, built board walks and bought in water pumps. All the feedback from exhibitors has been that we have done what we could to help the situation but obviously you can't control the weather."
“We thought it was really great how everyone got behind us, both exhibitors and visitors, keeping a smile on their faces, which has given us great support.”
Reed put down 30 cubic meters of wood chips and 20 cubic meters of road base in total to combat the flooding.
Reed ruled out refunds or compensation for badly affected exhibitors.
This was the last year QME would be held at the showgrounds with the sale of the land currently underway.
Reed said it was involved in the process of finding a new venue through a consultative committee run by the Mackay mayor.
But Reed said they have had confirmation QME will continue to be held in Mackay in 2010.
