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 Sydney 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 to 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 as the nearby Sydney Cricket Ground was unavailable. At its peak, the old showground could hold over 90,000 people.
The Main Arena at the Sydney Showground was also used as one of two Sydney Harness racing venues, the other being the Harold Park Paceway, located only 4 km from Moore Park in the suburb of Glebe.
Since the departure of the Sydney Royal Easter Show to the new showground, the old showground has been redeveloped as Fox Studios, and later Disney Studios Australia, 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, Sydney Football Stadium, and the Hordern Pavilion, a multipurpose entertainment venue.[2]
Speedway
From 1926 until 1996 the Showground's main arena also doubled as the Sydney Showground Speedway, a motorcycle speedway track. Officially known as Speedway Royale, the speedway attracted large spectator attendances throughout the summer months. Claimed to be the fastest speedway in the world in 1937, the 509 metres (557 yards) long "egg shaped" track was also the site of some spectacular crashes and some tragic deaths. Although solo motorcycles were first to race at the Showgrounds they were soon joined by sidecars, speedcars and later Super Modifieds. In the 1950s stock cars began to appear joined much later by demolition derbies.
Sydney's Royal Agricultural Showground was then venue for the first Ashes test on Australian soil.[3] The showground also became the venue for the NSWRFL's grand finals until the late 1920s, and eventually hosted 183 first grade rugby league games. The final ever Rugby League match played at the ground was on 11 April 1987 between North Sydney and St George in front of 24,000 spectators. Norths won the match 18–16.[4]
Alice Cooper played to over 40,000 fans at this venue on 26 March 1977.
Englishrock band Led Zeppelin played to over 25,000 fans at the Sydney Showground in February 1972 as part of their 1972 Australasian Tour. Footage from the show is featured on disc two of the Led Zeppelin DVD released some thirty years after the event. Bob Dylan performed here on April 1, 1978.
The Sydney Showgrounds was also the venue for the annual Sydney Big Day Out music festival held in January between 1992 and 1997. The 1997 event was titled 'Six and Out - Big Day out' then indicating the final Big Day Out Festival before its new beginning at the new Sydney Showground Homebush in 1999. The former Sydney Showground is featured in the Rage Against the Machine video clip for "Bulls on Parade", from when they performed live at the Big Day Out Festival on 25 January 1996.
