Sydney Showground

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Sydney Showground
Image:SydneyShowgroundMoorePark.jpg
Location	Moore Park, Sydney.
Coordinates	Google Map
Broke ground	1882
Opened	1882
Renovated	1938
Expanded	1902-1919 Soutwards, 1920-1937 Northwards.
Closed	1997
Demolished	1998 re-purposed
Owner	New South Wales State Government
Operator	News Corporation, Fox Studios Australia
Surface	Grass
Tenants
Sydney Royal Easter Show
Capacity

Sydney Showground at Moore Park was the site of the Sydney Royal Easter Show in New South Wales, Australia from 1882 untill 1997, at which time it moved to the new Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay built for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The site was then leased to News Corporation on a 99 year lease from the New South Wales State Government to be the site of Fox Studios Australia.

[edit] History

In 1811, Governor Macquarie proclaimed Sydney’s second common, an area of 1,000 acres. In 1882, The Agricultural Society established its grounds within the site, which henceforth became the venue of the Royal Easter Show -- an annual expression of national pride in Australian produce and industry.

The period from 1902 to 1919 saw the expansion of the showgrounds to the south. From 1920–1937, the grounds were further expanded to the north, with the addition of new squares and judging rings. The dominant visual elements of the complex by this time were the peripheral walls, the Members’ Grandstand clock tower and the tower of the Anthony Hordern building.

The country’s sesqui-centenary celebrations of 1938 led to a further building program at the showground, including the Government Pavilion and the Commemorative Pavilion.

Aside from the Royal Easter Show, the venue was used for World Series Cricket games in the late 1970s when the Sydney Cricket Ground was unavailable. At its peak, the old showground could hold over 90,000 people. An image of the showground with its stands full to capacity for the Royal Easter Show can be viewed here.[1]

The Showground was also used as a speedway for most of its lifetime, officially known as Speedway Royale, with large spectator attendances throughout the summer from 1926 until 1996. Claimed to the fastest speedway in the world the 509 metre "egg shaped" track was also the site of some spectacular crashes and some tragic deaths. Although solo motorcycles were first to race at the showground they were soon joined by sidecars and midgets. In the 1950s stock cars began to appear joined much later by demolition derbies.

English rock band Led Zeppelin played to over 25,000 fans at the Sydney Showground in February 1972.[2] Footage from the show is featured on disc two of the Led Zeppelin DVD released some thirty years after the event. Swedish group ABBA also played there in March 1977, and American rock group Kiss played two large concerts at the venue in 1980.

Since the departure of the Royal Easter Show to the new showground, the old showground has been redeveloped as Fox Studios, a commercial venture designed at supporting Australia's film industry. It is in close proximity with some of Sydney's largest public venues, namely the Sydney Cricket Ground, Aussie Stadium (formerly the Sydney Football Stadium), and the Hordern Pavilion, a multipurpose entertainment venue.

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