Dapto's farming credentials took a dive when cattle disappeared from the Dapto Show program a few years ago.
But this hasn't stopped the National Party from declaring its interest in Throsby, the federal seat held by Jennie George, who has said she is stepping down.
Chances that an Akubra-wearing candidate would come doorknocking increased last week when the Nationals formed an electoral council for the seat - something that was unlikely before a redistribution moved 27,000 conservative Southern Highlands voters into the area.
SLIDESHOW: Throsby MP Jennie George retires
Will this man replace Jennie George in Throsby?In February Nationals state director Ben Franklin said it was possible there would be a rare case of the Liberals and Nationals both fielding candidates.
Niall Blair, the Nationals' Throsby electoral council secretary, said it was serious about having a long-term presence in Throsby. Former Gilmore and Hume MP John Sharp is one of the council's trustees.
The Liberals are seeking nominations for candidates in both Throsby and Cunningham.
Opposition leader Tony Abbott said during a visit on Friday he was hopeful the party would be competitive in the Labor seats.
"I think the emissions trading scheme has very serious implications for the coal industry and the Illawarra is a bastion of the coal industry ... it has very serious implications in heavy industry generally," he said.
"You just never know, but we might turn out to be very competitive because of the fears about Labor's new jobs destroying tax on energy."
As for the Nationals standing a Throsby candidate, Mr Abbott said "under Coalition rules they are totally entitled to do that".
In 2007, Labor got 65 per cent of the primary vote in Throsby - the state's highest. Stephen Jones will be the party's candidate.
Twenty-thousand mainly Labor voters from Shellharbour, Barrack Heights, Kiama Downs, Jamberoo and part of Albion Park will shift into Gilmore, lowering Labor's two-party preferred margin from 23.5 per cent to 16.2 per cent.
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