Television at the Show Heritage Highlight

The Introduction of Television

Since the 1920s, showgoers were drawn to displays of the latest communications technology at commercial and government stands in the exhibition halls at the Sydney Royal. In the post-war years radio was still king, but the talk of the 1956 Show was the imminent introduction of television which would debut in time for the Melbourne Olympics.

In the Wine Pavilion, the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) set up a demonstration studio which broadcast to television sets in the Commemorative Pavilion. Programs included documentaries on the newly introduced rabbit virus myxomatosis and chicken canning. Much of the 1957 Show was telecast live for the first time, but the RAS feared the effect on attendance and so the following year only the official opening of the Show was broadcast. To experience all the other sights, sounds, tastes and smells - you had to turn up in person!