Sydney Agricultural Ground
Former Sydney Showground, Moore Park, NSW
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| Location | Moore Park, Sydney. |
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| Coordinates | 33°53′36″S 151°13′37″E / 33.89333°S 151.22694°ECoordinates: 33°53′36″S 151°13′37″E / 33.89333°S 151.22694°E |
| Owner | New South Wales Government |
| Operator | News Corporation, 21st Century Fox, Fox Studios Australia |
| Capacity | 40,000 (originally 90,000) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1882 |
| Opened | 1882 |
| Renovated | 1938 |
| Expanded | 1902-1919 Soutwards, 1920-1937 Northwards. |
| Closed | 1997 |
| Demolished | 1998 re-purposed |
| Tenants | |
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Sydney Royal Easter Show (1882-1997) South Sydney Rabbitohs (1908-1920) Empire Speedways (1926-1996) World Series Cricket (1977/78) |
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The former Sydney Showground at Moore Park was the site of the Sydney Royal Easter Show in New South Wales, Australia from 1882 until 1997, when the Show was moved to the new Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay, which was built for the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The old site was then leased to News Corporation on a 99-year lease from the Government of New South Wales to be used for the site of Fox Studios Australia, and is now part of The Entertainment Quarter.
In 1811, Governor Macquarie proclaimed Sydney’s second common, an area of 1,000 acres (4.0 km2). 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 and rugby league matches, 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.
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