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Circuses in the City
This collection contains a small selection of archives relating to circuses in the City of Sydney area.
Circuses have performed throughout the city of Sydney since the mid-19th century with evidence in city records of them performing in locations such as Belmore Park, Moore Park Phillip Park and Prince Alfred Park. Circuses also performed on the grounds of the Benevolent Society Asylum on Pitt Street, as well as throughout Haymarket.
In 1916 Wirth’s Hippodrome opened as a permanent attraction and featured a reinforced concrete tank for aquatic animal performances. This featured a hydraulic platform which could be raised to make a circus ring when the pool was not in use.
Contemporary groups, such as the Flying Fruit Fly Circus established in 1979, and Cirque du Soliel, have modernised the traditional circus and ensured they have continued to perform in the city right throughout the 20th and 21st Century.
To find even more items relating to circuses in the City of Sydney area try the search tool.
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