history

Welcome

Mission

Employment

Sponsors

Historical Summary

In the beginning

In 1822 the Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) was formed by a group of Sydney's leading citizens with the aim of "furthering the quality of Australia's primary production by means of contests and competitions".

Officers were elected and 11 days later the Society held a meeting at Walker's Inn, Parramatta. The Society staged its first Show in Parramatta in 1823.

Having lapsed in 1836, the Society reformed in 1857 and continued to hold its exhibitions at Parramatta until 1868, after which they moved to Prince Alfred Park, home of the Show from 1869 to 1881.

Moore Park

In 1880, when the Society was down to its last £71, it decided to accept a government offer and leased 16 hectares of common land at Moore Park, from Prince Alfred Park, the home of the Show from 1869 - 1881. In 1882, the first Show was moved to Moore Park, which continued to be the home of the RAS and the Sydney Royal Easter Show until January 1998.

In 1891 Queen Victoria granted the Society permission for the use of the "Royal" prefix and from then on, the Society was known as the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW.

Modern days

Today the RAS is a thriving organisation comprising 89 Councillors, 120 staff and supported by 13,000 Members. Councillors bring to the Society expertise in a wide variety of rural, business and professional pursuits. The RAS Council is currently headed by the Acting President, Mr John B. Fairfax, AM .

In August of 1994, the NSW Government approved the relocation of the Sydney Royal Easter Show and work began on the development of the new Homebush site. Three years later and after 115 years of Shows, the Royal Easter Show said goodbye to its home at Moore Park and moved to Sydney Olympic Park.

1998 saw the first Royal Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park.

The RAS broadly supports the NSW Government's Master Plan for Sydney Olympic Park, which aims to transform the area into a popular residential and entertainment precinct. As long-term tenants of the site, the RAS sees itself as an important driver of this vision and will continue to lead the way and work cooperatively with Government to secure the future of the Show, the Showground and the development of the site.

Click here for a more detailed look at the Society's history.