The Dictionary of Sydney was archived in 2021.

Search the blogs

The Waratah Festival

Waratah Spring Festival parade, College Street 1960s, City of Sydney Archives SRC18259 Celebrating Spring, and named for the state's floral emblem, the Waratah festival ran for 18 years from 1956 to 1973. It was replaced by the Sydney Festival in January…

Parramatta Gaol

Parramatta prison 2009. Image courtesy of Airview, 0905-1317-85 Continuing our focus on this year’s Sydney Festival, there’s an array of music, dance, circus and theatre showing outside the CBD, with Parramatta Gaol being turned into a venue. So today I thought…

Circus in Sydney

James Ashton, Ashton's Amphitheatre, 1855. From the collection of the State Library of New South Wales, TN115, Illustrated Sydney News, 2 June 1855 With the Sydney Festival kicking off today I’m sure there are plenty of revellers looking forward to the…