Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2001 (Part II)

This is part two in our Royal Easter Show Flashback, focusing on 2001. Last week, I posted admission prices, transport arrangement and showbag advertisements.

This week, I share several newspaper clippings focusing on the Easter Show itself. 

Opening Day - Friday April 6

Source: Banham, C. 2001. "Show's opening brings out all creatures small and great". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 7: 1. 

By 5 pm, 25,886 had attended the first day of the show, which was just over half of the previous year's opening-day attendance. In 2001, the Easter Show began one week before the start of the school holidays, whereas the previous year, the first day of the show coincided with the last day of Term 1 for school students. 

In the main arena, crowds were entertained by Bluey, "the helicopter who thinks he's a sheep dog". There would be lunchtime and evening performances.

25 years later, we have Bluey the sheep dog who has his own TV show and is loved by kids around the world, and yes, you can even get a Bluey Showbag.

The Sun Herald captured the first day of the opening weekend in a full-page feature on April 8 2001.

Source: Smyth, T. 2001."Hardly a no-Show". The Sun Herald, April 8: 9.

Official Opening - Wednesday April 11

The 2001 Royal Easter Show was officially opened by Governor General Sir William Deane and was followed by the first Grand Parade, where 1000 of the finest livestock were paraded in the Main Arena

Good Friday - April 13

Traditionally, it's the busiest day of the show. 140,000 made the trek on the first day of the Easter Long Weekend, and it was the busiest day for Sydney Olympic Park since the Olympic Games held several months earlier.

Ticket limits are in place for each day of the show in 2026, so we will not see crowds like this again on Good Friday. That is why tickets must be bought for a specific day. 

Source: Jackson, A. 2001. "Show stopper: 140,000 drop in to say howdy". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 14: 1.

Easter Saturday - April 14

Another bumper crowd through the turnstiles

Source: Smyth, T. 2001. "A once a year, 'only at the Show' time". The Sun Herald, April 15: 9. 

On April 20, The Sydney Morning Herald posted a photospread in its main news section, along with a summary of the show

Source: Dennis, A. 2001. "Thanks a million for coming folks, and it'll be even bigger next year". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 20: 8. 

• Around 1.05 million attended the Royal Easter Show in 2001
• 16500 animals were exhibited
• 149 000 Dagwood Dogs were sold
• 400 cups of coffee were sold
• 500 children were lost, then found

Planning had already begun for 2002. There were plans to expand it onto Olympic Boulevard (they followed through) and to improve parking accessibility for those who elected to drive. Concerns about pre-booked parking may have deterred some.

Related Entry

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2001 (Part I)

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2001 (Part I)

Next week marks the start of the annual Royal Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park. The year of focus is 2000 and will be presented in two entries.

This week, I will focus on key facts and the showbags.

Date:         April 6-19, 2001

The Easter Show ran for 14 days (Down from 16 days in 2000) and it will run for 12 days in 2026. 

Theme: The Great Australian Muster

Admission

Show Only entry ticket prices increased by $3 for adults and $2 for children. This was also the first show where the GST (10%) had been charged, being introduced on July 1, 2000, and would have attributed for much of the increase.

Adults: - $20
Concesions (Tertiary Students and Pensioners) - $15.50

Children: - $11.50

Showlink tickets were also available and could be pre-purchased at train stations for use on any one day of the show, including show buses. Prices below were for the Sydney Suburban Area with higher prices for those in the outer metropolitan area.

Adults: - $25.50
Tertiary Students - $18.50

Children: - $14.50

In 2026, ticket options are broader, but at the time of preparing this entry general prices were not listed:

Only early bird prices are listed

Adults - $ 48.00 

Concession - $36 

Child - $29.50 

PWD - $29.50 

Tickets in 2026 include free return travel on public transport on the day of the visit, and the date of the visit must be pre-booked. In 2026, it has broken down ticket purchases further where you have to locate the date and the type of ticket you want given each day has multiple options.

Source: NSW Department of Transport. 2001. "The only way to go to the Royal Easter Show" (Advertisement). The Sun Herald Official Sydney Royal Easter Show Magazine, April 1: 8. 

Showbags

All showbag advertisements were sourced from "The Sun Herald Official Sydney Royal Easter Show Magazine" published on April 1, 2001.

In 2001, Showbags ranged from $2 to $18.50. A total of 260 showboats were on offer. In 2026, 418 showbags are on offer.

Coca Cola

A constant best seller at the time. The backpack also kept up with the trends.

Pepsi

Like Coca Cola, they offered the sling bag or body bag as they called it but for just $12.00.

2Day FM

Followed Coca Cola and Pepsi with their own bodybag or slingbag. It included two mugs, one for each of the Morning Crew members, Wendy Harmer and Peter Moon.

Triple M

They offered an "Extra Large" backpack for those who wanted a traditional backpack as opposed to the slingbag or bodybag on offer from its competitors. 

Nestle

Bertie Beetle Showbags were just $2. 2001 also marked the debut of the Wonka Showbag.

 

Bensons

The traditional (and best-selling) Cadbury Showbag was just $6. In 2026, still the same price but a victim of shrinkflation, i.e. focus on bite-sized bars as opposed to full-size.

Gag Magic

The showbag retailed for $8 in 2001. In 2026 it is $20 but you get $89.90 worth of goodies.

Extended Sampling

A Little Luxury was a bestseller in its time and sadly no longer is sold at the show. In 2026, Girlfriend and Men's Health Magazines are still in print, but no showbags on offer. 

Mega Showbags

New Concept

They sold Mars-branded showbags plus themed showbags from television shows and films.

Next week, I will post a selection of newspaper clippings from the 2001 Royal Easter Show.

New Years Eve 25 Years Ago: 2000 (Centenary of Federation Fireworks)

 

Wednesday is New Year's Eve, and as the norm at this time of the year, I look back at how Sydney welcomed the new year 25 years ago.

The year of focus is 2000.

Fireworks

The launch points for the fireworks are shown below. For 2025, they have stuck to the "traditional" launch points, but with added launch sites - Off Bradfield Park, Kirribilli, Off Garden Island, a second launch site to the west of Goat Island, and a launch site to the west of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to complement the barge located off Kirribilli and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

The duration of the display was reduced from 25 minutes to welcome in 2000 to 16 minutes. It would settle at 12 minutes, which is expected to be the approximate length of this year's display.

Sourced from: The Daily Telegraph. 2000. "New Years Eve - Official Guide". The Daily Telegraph, December 27: 48-49.

The Bridge Effect for 2001 was an eight-pointed Commonwealth Star with each point representing either a state or territory, with a Rainbow Serpent placed above it.

Source: Westwood, S. "Serpent a star in bridge's New Year test run". The Daily Telegraph, December 22: 3. 

Transport

Revellers were encouraged to travel by public transport to both New Year's Eve and the Centenary of Federation events. Discounted rail and bus tickets with unlimited rail were available and were valid on the day of travel until 4am the next day, either on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. For $12, a combined rail/bus ticket was available, allowing for unlimited travel on Sydney Buses as well. The tickets were commemorative, as part of the Centenary of Federation celebrations. 

Source: Sofios, S. 2000. "New Year party crush". The Daily Telegraph, December 23: 15.

Source: NSW Department of Transport. 2000. "Plan it right, for party time" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 22: 34. 

Unfortunately, for New Year's Eve 2025, the regular daily fare cap for public transport in Sydney will be the standard $19.30, as it is not a public holiday. If travelling during regular peak periods on the trains, e.g. 3pm-7pm, you will also pay peak-hour fares as if it were a typical day. If New Year's Eve fell on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday this year, the cap would be $9.65.

Newspaper Coverage

At the top of the entry is the front page of The Daily Telegraph dated January 1, 2001.

Below is the front page of The Sydney Morning Herald from January 1, 2001.

Two general features from The Daily Telegraph and The Sydney Morning Herald from January 1, 2001.

Source: Chesterton. R. 2001. "Twice the fun for New Year party's double celebration". The Daily Telegraph, January 1: 2.

Source: Stevenson, A. 2001. "Boom time in a city that never sleeps". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 1: 2.

Another highlight of the evening was the Lord Mayor's Party held at the Sydney Opera House hosted by Lord Mayor Frank Sartor.

Source: Chesterton, R. 2001. "Style, panache and fizz at Frank's Sydney soiree". The Daily Telegraph, January 1: 6. 

Parramatta Stadium played host to a concert that was televised on Channel Ten featuring Vanessa Amorosi, Nathan Cavaleri, Human Nature, S2S and Madison Avenue

Below is the fireworks as broadcast on the Nine Network. Video uploaded to Youtube by "SydneyCelebrates".  

Centenary of Federation  - January 1

New Year's Day saw three major events to mark the Centenary of Federation on January 1, 1901. 

State and Federal Leaders, along with Governor General Sir William Deane, gathered at Centennial Park to reenact the inauguration of the Federation of Australia on January 1, 1901. This was held in the Federation Pavilion (rebuilt in 1988).

As many as 500,000 Sydneysiders gathered to watch the Journey of a Nation parade, which ran down Macquarie Street, College Street and Oxford Street and down Anzac Parade to Moore Park.

In the evening, a concert was held at Centennial Park.

Below is a front page from The Sydney Morning Herald from January 2, 2001.

   

Finally, I'd like to wish you all a very safe and Happy New Year, and may 2026 be a year of success, prosperity and good health. 

Christmas Snapshot: 2000

Source: Lamba, B. & Sofios, S. (2000). "'Tis the season to serve up goodwill". The Daily Telegraph, December 26: 14-15. 

Christmas Day is on Thursday, and it is appropriate that this week I post the annual Christmas Snapshot, looking at how Sydney marked Christmas 25 years ago.

The year of focus is 2000.

So did Sydneysiders mark it?

Carols in the Domain - December 16

Carols in the Domain was held on Saturday, December 16, attracting 100,000 people into The Domain. 

Source: Sorenson, T. 2000. "Record crowd flocks to carols". The Sunday Telegraph, December 17: 29.

The lead-up to December 25

The Sunday Telegraph on December 24 2000 (Below) did a two-page spread on the lead-up to Christmas. For those leaving Sydney to visit family for Christmas or spend the summer holidays away from home, some encountered difficulties, whether on the road or in the air. 

Several Ansett Boeing 767s were grounded over the Christmas period, leading to flight cancellations. This was because they had not been subject to compulsory maintenance inspections. The grounded 767s resumed operations on Boxing Day, in time for the post-Christmas Rush.

For the airline itself, it would be its final Christmas, as it entered administration in September 2001 and ceased operations in March 2022.

Late-night shopping in the lead-up to Christmas is a tradition, though it is not as strong in 2025 as it was a quarter of a century ago. Online retailing was in its early stages, but our retailers had yet to embrace it, and the technology had not advanced enough for easy online ordering. 

To buy gifts, you had to buy them in person. It meant braving the crowds, fighting for a spot in full carparks and finding time to shop alongside other day-to-day aspects of life, such as work.  Late-night Christmas shopping meant there was no need to rush after a long day at the office.  

These days, it's possible to order online from a computer, tablet, or phone at any time, from any location. Black Friday sales have taken off in recent years, meaning gifts can be sought at reasonable prices a month out from Christmas. Want a bargain back in 2000? That had to wait until Boxing Day. 

Some still love the thrill of late-night shopping, and even some in Generation Z embrace it. One student at school told me in the lead-up to Christmas this year that they love doing it themselves. 

Source: Murray, K. & Grant, P. 2000. "Late closing for final rush". The Daily Telegraph, December 20: 24. 

Christmas Day - December 25

The Daily Telegraph feature on December 26, 2000, focused on the Churches and the lunches they put on for the poor and disadvantaged, including the Exodus Foundation (Ashfield), Matthew Talbot Hostel (Woolloomooloo), Wayside Chapel (Kings Cross) and the Salvation Army at Redfern. The Matthew Talbot Hostel recorded a forty per cent increase in volunteers, aided by the volunteer spirit triggered by the Sydney Olympics three months earlier. 

An estimated 4000 people were reported to have attended midnight mass at St Mary's Cathedral, and standing room only for its 10:30 am mass on Christmas morning.

Bondi Beach

According to The Daily Telegraph, backpackers and tourists accounted for the 25,000 who chose to spend their day at the beach. A party zone was explicitly created for those who wanted to celebrate the day. 3000 gathered at Coogee. 

A quarter of a century later, it now faces competition from Bronte Beach, which has gained widespread appeal amongst backpackers. However, Bronte, which is smaller, struggles to cope with the 10,000 who attend and has raised concerns, particularly about garbage.

Back at Bondi in 2000, garbage left behind by revellers was also a problem, and Waverley council was very quick to point fingers - British Backpackers

Source: Smith, R. 2000. "Filthy Poms". The Sunday Telegraph, December 31: 7. 

Christmas Lights

Adorning your home with lights at Christmas has become a standard way of celebrating in Sydney's suburbs, and a quarter of a century ago, the competition for the best-lit street in Sydney was taking off. The late 1990s would mark the genesis of such competition, given that last year's snapshot (1999) mentioned Bonnet Bay and its Christmas Lights. Locals would claim that their tradition began in the mid-1970s, as the suburb was new, developed from the late 1960s onward. 

The Daily Telegraph had several features on Christmas Lights in streets in Sydney, but will post one below focusing on Stutz Place, Ingleburn. Campbelltown Council was running a local competition to determine the street with the best Christmas lights. 

Source: Saleh, L. 2000. "Silent night, holy light". The Daily Telegraph, December 11: 9. 

A Final Word

As this Christmas approaches, many Sydneysiders will be marking the season while also carrying grief following the tragic events at Bondi Beach on Sunday, December 15. The loss of life, the injuries suffered, and the trauma experienced by those who witnessed what occurred have left a profound and lasting impact on families, first responders, and the wider community. 

This look back at Christmas 2000 is written with an awareness that places central to Sydney’s summer traditions can hold both joy and sorrow across time. Yet in the days that followed the events at Bondi, the way people have supported one another through care, compassion, restraint, and solidarity reflects values long associated with Christmas itself. 

In that sense, light has not been overcome by darkness, even as many continue to grieve. With that in mind, 

I wish all of you a Merry Christmas, extending my thoughts to those who are mourning, recovering, or carrying the weight of what they saw, and to everyone seeking peace and reassurance in a difficult season.

Stay safe, everyone.

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part II)

Last week, I posted the first entry on the 2000 Royal Easter Show and in our second and concluding entry, I will share feature articles and highlights.

Key Statistics

Up to April 28, 2000 (and does not include the final figures from April 29, 2000)

• 1,059,760 attended
• 883,500 travelled to the show by public transport. 623,320 travelled by rail and 260,180 by bus
• More than 620 children were recorded as lost.
• Approximately 10,000 animals were on exhibition
• 950,000 bottles or servings of water and soft drink were sold
• 500,000 coffees were sold
• 275,000 hot dogs and Dagwood dogs were sold

Source: Stevenson, A. 2000. "Salute to land and its people". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 1: 50. 

Main Arena Entertainment

Each night at 7:45 pm, the Main Arena would host a recreation of Banjo Patterson's The Man from Snowy River. 

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Back to the bush: Tradition returns to main arena". The Daily Telegraph, April 6: 7. 

Opening Day - April 14 

The Daily Telegraph had this report in its Final Afternoon edition (1:30 pm), reporting "massive crowds" for Day 1, and only half the day had passed. Opening Day coincided with the last day of Term 1, which also happened this year (April 11). 

Source: Gee, S. 2000. "Crowds show up in droves". The Daily Telegraph, April 14: 3. 

A new opening day record was set with 54,873 attending. Yours truly was amongst them. 

Source: Walker, F. 2000. "Big crowd makes show of security". The Sun Herald, April 16: 14-15

With the Olympic Games five months away, NSW Police performed a practice exercise on Saturday, April 15. A security checkpoint was located at one of the entrances used to check bags of showgoers, who were required to pass through a metal detector. 20,000 people were subject to inspection. 

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Schools' day sets a record". The Daily Telegraph, April 15: 8. 

Easter Long Weekend

Good Friday saw crowds of over 140,000, and the Easter Long Weekend in 2000 offered something that normally wouldn't happen - sunshine and clear weather. It is a Sydney custom that at least one of the four days of the Easter long weekend is rainy.

At this stage, the Easter long weekend 2025 is forecast to be warm and sunny.

Did you know that in 2000, Anzac Day fell two days after Easter Sunday (April 23), meaning the Easter Long Weekend was a five-day weekend? 

On Anzac Day, the gates opened at 11 am in respect of the day and to enable people to attend Anzac Day events. 

Check out the crowd on Good Friday! Only 80,000 tickets have been allocated for Good Friday this year (as with every other day of the show).

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Perfect day for a bumper crowd". The Daily Telegraph, April 22: 11.

Source: Sams. C. 2000. "Sunny side up cheers record crowd". The Sun Herald, April 23:25.

About 100,000 people attend on Easter Saturday.

Source: McCabe, K. 2000. "Crowds hoof it around Show". The Sunday Telegraph, April 23: 9. 

The Prime Minister also had the opportunity to spend some time at the show.

Cameron, D. 2000. "Howard puts the cap among the cockies as he gets in for his chop". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17: 5. 

In 2000, new restaurants opened at the showgrounds, increasing dining options, especially for those who dread carnival favourites—Pluto pups, dagwood dogs, and hot chips. 

Source: Buchan, N. "A step up from the pluto pups". The Daily Telegraph, April 28: 20.

Show Budgeting

Going to the Royal Easter Show is not cheap, even if on a budget. 

Source: Verghis, S. 2000. "Over budget, but hey, that's Show business".  The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17: 8.

A problem with showbags

The Pokemon bag was a best seller in 2000, but some items were missing due to shipping issues and failed to arrive in time. Ultimately, the price of the bags had to be reduced, and replacement items were provided to appease those eager to buy the bag.

Source: Porter, J. 2000. "Pokemon toys on missing list". The Daily Telegraph, April 17: 10.

  

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Missing toys cut price of Pokemon bags". The Daily Telegraph, April 18: 15.  

Some missed out on a particular bag because the day's supply was exhausted by 1 p.m. Pepsi was sold out by April 20, and no additional bags were sold as a result. Some items were substituted. 

Source: Clifton, B. 2000. "The great showbag shortage". The Daily Telegraph, April 21: 3.  

The Sydney Morning Herald (May 1 2000) published a special results supplement which included features on the show itself and a selection of photos.

That concludes our two-part series on the 2000 Royal Easter Show. Just a reminder that the 2025 Royal Easter Show runs until Tuesday, April 22.

It's time for a bonus - a map of the Sydney Showgrounds for the 2000 Royal Easter Show, as published in the preview magazine in The Sun Herald on April 9, 2000.

Related Entry

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part I)