This week focuses on feature articles, as reported by The Daily Telegraph focusing on key highlights during the sixteen day show.
Opening Day - 21 March
This article was published in the second afternoon edition of The Daily Telegraph, focusing on opening day.
Source: Anon. 1997. "The Show goes on, for the very last time". The Daily Telegraph, March 21: 3.
Good Friday - 28 March
The Daily Telegraph (29 March) reported on traffic chaos on roads around the Showgrounds as an estimated 100 000 attended on the holiday.
Source: McKenchnie, C. &Birch, S. 1997. "Show's a traffic stopper". The Daily Telegraph, March 29: 2.
The Sydney Morning Herald (29 March) managed to capture an aerial view of the showgrounds on that day and reported that an estimated 160 000 attended that day, falling just short of the 1985 record of 174 000.
Source: Totaro, P. 1997. "Bird's eye view of sky-high crowds". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 29: 5.
The last Grand Parade at Moore Park - 4 April
On the evening of 4 April, the last "inner city" Grand Parade was held in the main arena.
Source: Tsavdaris, N. & Stevenson, A. 1997. "The last show in town". The Daily Telegraph, April 5: 9.
The final day - 5 April
The Sun Herald (6 April 1997) ensured that the end of the Royal Easter Show at Moore Park was front page news along with an accompanying feature of the last day. At 9pm the Main Arena was blacked out and 10 000 candles lit to pay tribute to the final show. Police patrols were stepped up to ensure that showgoers did not steal show memorabilia.
I remember reading the original print article in The Sunday Telegraph (6 April 1997) at the time and felt that it probably warranted bigger coverage in the main newspages. However there was a larger feature in its "Insight" (News Review) section
Source: Stuart. S. 1997. "A sombre end of an era". The Sunday Telegraph, April 6: 13.
The extra four days for the 1997 Royal Easter Show did not result in what the RAS wanted - A new all time attendance record. 1.17 million attended the 1997 show, falling short of the 1.23 million that attended in 1947.
Source: Tsavdaridis, N. 1997. "Show is over but fun lives on". The Daily Telegraph, April 7: 16.
The Sydney Morning Herald, (7 April 1997) reported on the packing up on the day after the final show at Moore Park concluded.
Source: Gripper, A. 1997. "Lambs leave the showground to the Fox". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 7: 5.
General Features
Below are general feature articles that appeared in Sydney newspapers relating to the 1997 The Royal Easter Show.
Source: Stephens, T. 1997. "The Last Hurrah". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 21: 17.
Source: Gripper, A. 1997. "Gone with the wind of change...but the memories live on". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 5: 4-5.
Source: Condon, M. 1997. "Heads and tales of the Royal". The Sun Herald, March 23: 44 & 73.
Source: MacMillan, S. 1997. "It's Showtime". The Sunday Telegraph, March 16: 137.
Source: Anon. 1997. "Farewell old friend". The Sunday Telegraph, April 6: 121.
The Sunday Telegraph (April 6, 1997) published a series of special features including the new showgrounds at Sydney Olympic Park. Good construction photo of the Main Arena (Spotless Stadium) under construction.
End of a showground institution - Chair lifts and Cable Cars
One element of the Easter Show that I miss is the chair lifts and cable cars that could transport people from one side of the showgrounds to the other side. One advantage of Sydney Olympic Park is the ability to easily navigate the showgrounds with a grid like layout and that could work against them. It's success was also dependent on users being able to travel over the main arena, but the stands at Sydney Olympic Park are bigger and the infrastructure would interfere with sporting events.
Source: Tsavdaris, N. 1997. "Chair ride's last stand". The Daily Telegraph, April 4: 25.
The New Home - Sydney Olympic Park
Construction was underway on the showgrounds. The design was unveiled in October 1996 while preliminary works had commenced and while the last show was on at Moore Park, considerable progress had been made as shown below.
Source: Anon. 1997. "New show site has a ring to it". The Daily Telegraph, March 20: 2.
The Future at Moore Park
With 20th Century Fox gaining control of the soon to be former Sydney Showgrounds, Sydneysiders were informed of what the future would be. A quarter of a century later, and the precinct is now facing redevelopment.
Source: Dasey, D. 1997. "Time to start cloning around". The Sun Herald, April 6: 32.
I hope you have enjoyed this two part series on the final Royal Easter Show to be held at Moore Park. Next Year, I will focus on 1998 with the first Royal Easter Show to be held at Sydney Olympic Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment