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Royal Adelaide Show

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A traveling carnival ( American English ), usually simply called a carnival , travelling funfair or travelling show ( British English ), is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides , food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, and animal acts. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park or funfair, but is moved from place to place. Its roots are similar to the 19th century circus with both being fitted-up in open fields near or in town and moving to a new location after a period of time. In fact, many carnivals have circuses while others have a clown aesthetic in their decor. Unlike traditional Carnival celebrations, the North American traveling carnival is not tied to a religious observance.

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84-696: The Royal Adelaide Show is an annual carnival and agricultural show run by the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia . It is held at the Adelaide Showground , a dedicated venue located in Wayville , a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Core to the show are the competitive entries, such as livestock , pets, arts, food, beverages, and displays of skill. The show features entries in 63 competitive sections, and attracts over 31,000 entries annually. In addition,

168-623: A carousel , ridable miniature railway , miniature roller coaster , or an inflatable bounce house . For older children and adults, there can be many different types of rides. These rides are designed to use height, speed, g-force , or centrifugal force to appeal to the riders' senses. Some examples are the Chair-O-Planes , Ferris wheel , Zipper ride, and the Tilt-A-Whirl . The rides are generally painted in bright vibrant colors such as red, yellow and orange. Multicolored lighting

252-534: A circus , vaudeville show, burlesque show, or a magic lantern show. It is believed that the 1893 Chicago World's Fair was the catalyst that brought about the modern traveling carnival. At the Chicago World's Fair was an avenue at the edge of the grounds called the Midway Plaisance . This avenue of the fair had games of chance, freak shows, wild west shows (including Buffalo Bill whose show

336-594: A fair would also have had a significant number of market stalls; today this is rare and most sidestalls only offer food or games. The first fairground rides began to appear in the 18th century. These were small, made of wood and propelled by gangs of boys. In the 19th century, before the development of mechanical attractions, sideshows were the mainstay of most funfairs. Typical shows included menageries of wild animals, freak shows , wax works , boxing / wrestling challenges, and theatrical shows . In 1868, Frederick Savage, an agricultural engineer from King's Lynn , devised

420-580: A legal tender in payment of debts". Australian coins are now produced at the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra . Before Federation in 1901, the six colonies that comprised Australia had separate currencies, all of which closely replicated the British currency system , and were usually exchangeable with each other on a one-to-one basis. Hence Federation was not seen as urgently requiring

504-454: A method of driving rides by steam. His invention, a steam engine mounted in the center of the ride, transformed the fairground industry in England and around the world. The preeminent carousel maker in the 19th century, his fairground machinery was exported globally. Through most of the 19th century, rural North America enjoyed the entertainment of traveling shows. These shows could include

588-455: A more adult market. Traveling carnival In 1893, the Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition (also called the Chicago World's Fair) was the catalyst for the development of the modern traveling carnival. The Chicago World's Fair had an area that included rides, games of chance, freak shows, and burlesque . After the Chicago World's Fair, traveling carnival companies began touring

672-530: A new currency be introduced (from February 1963), to be modelled on South Africa's replacement of the South African pound with the rand (worth 10 shillings or 1 ⁄ 2 pound). The Menzies government announced its support for decimalisation in July 1961, but delayed the process in order to give further consideration to the implementation process. In April 1963, Holt announced that a decimal currency

756-453: A single, unified currency. For another 10 years, colonial banknotes and coins continued to be the main circulating currencies. In 1902, a select committee of the House of Representatives , chaired by George Edwards , had recommended that Australia adopt a single, national decimal currency, with a pound divided into ten florins and each florin comprising 100 cents. However, the recommendation

840-481: A strong interest in the new technology. On 27 September 2012, the Reserve Bank of Australia stated that it had ordered work on a project to upgrade the current banknotes. The upgraded banknotes would incorporate a number of new future proof security features and include tactile features like Braille dots for ease of use of the visually impaired. All persons featured on the first polymer series were retained on

924-483: A study-free day, enabling their pupils to attend the event. In 2004, 'The Wine Tunnel' with wine tastings was introduced to showcase South Australia's wines . Located in the Taste SA area, it also has cooking demonstrations and food samplings. In 2007, Centennial Hall was demolished due to the structural weakening of its concrete. The Adelaide Showground railway station opened permanently on 17 February 2014. Unlike

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1008-564: A variety of food and beverages. They offer snack items like cotton candy , popcorn , ice cream , fried dough , funnel cake , candy , or caramel apples and french fries . Meal items may include pizza , hamburgers , hot dogs , and chicken. Beverages may include soda , coffee , tea , and lemonade . Local and regional specialties, along with ethnic foods such as empanadas and tacos , are often available. At autumn and winter carnivals, drinks like hot cider and hot chocolate may be available. Junk food items like deep fried candy bars ,

1092-583: A view about the stability in value of the British pound. From 1946 to 1971, Australia maintained a peg under the Bretton Woods system , a fixed exchange rate system that pegged the U.S. dollar to gold, but the Australian dollar was effectively pegged to sterling until 1967 at £1 sterling = A£1 5s = A$ 2.50 = US$ 2.80. In 1967 Australia did not follow the pound sterling devaluation and remained fixed to

1176-478: A wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Note Printing Australia prints polymer notes or simply supplies the polymer substrate for a growing number of other countries including Bangladesh , Brunei , Chile , Kuwait , Malaysia , Mexico , Nepal , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea , Romania , Samoa , Singapore , Solomon Islands , Sri Lanka and Vietnam . Many other countries are showing

1260-706: A year in Spring and Autumn. The show was briefly suspended in 1852 during the Victorian Gold Rush. In 1856, the society held its first art exhibition: there were 178 entries, with 30 being from the well-known artist S. T. Gill . According to the South Australian Register (28 November 1867) "A special Grand General Show was held from Thursday 7 November 1867 to coincide with the Adelaide visit of Prince Alfred , Duke of Edinburgh". After

1344-697: Is a reserve currency and one of the most traded currencies in the world. Other factors in its popularity include a relative lack of central bank intervention, and general stability of the Australian economy and government. In January 2011 at the World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland , Alexey Ulyukaev announced that the Central Bank of Russia would begin keeping Australian dollar reserves. Australian notes are legal tender throughout Australia by virtue of section 36(1) of

1428-617: Is a 10-minute firework show . Another major attraction to the Royal Adelaide Show is the array of free entertainment included upon entry. There are three main stages: The rides are a major drawcard at the show. Each year the event boasts over 50 rides between the Carnival and Kid's Carnival areas. The best-known ride is the permanent Skymaster Wheel standing over 40 metres high. Each year, rides can vary with some favourites going and newer rides appearing. Some larger rides in

1512-501: Is also used to enhance the rides' appearance at night. Each ride also plays its own music: a carousel may have calliope music playing while the ride next to it may have rock music for its riders. The music for each ride is usually upbeat; however, a ride such as a ghost train will have more somber music. These rides are designed to be quickly set up and taken down, thus helping the carnival operator in moving them. Some state governments have agencies that inspect carnival rides to ensure

1596-479: Is common for the independent owners within a traveling carnival to be related, or have intertwined family histories. Many carnival operators are so big that they have carnival "units" or divisions. Each of these units may consist of six or more major rides. By having these units, a carnival operator can have a carnival operating in many different areas during the same week. Rides and stands are generally transported by truck. The rides generally have wheels mounted on

1680-814: Is legal tender in its external territories: Christmas Island , Cocos (Keeling) Islands , and Norfolk Island ; and is also official currency in Kiribati , Nauru , and Tuvalu . It was legal tender in Papua New Guinea until 31 December 1975 when it was replaced by the kina , and in Solomon Islands until 1977 when it was replaced by the Solomon Islands dollar . In 1966, coins were introduced in denominations of 1 and 2 cents (bronze); 5, 10, and 20 cents ( cupronickel ; 75% copper, 25% nickel); and 50 cents (silver, then cupronickel). The 50-cent coins in 80% silver were no longer minted after March 1968 due to

1764-515: The Australian Labor government led by Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Treasurer Paul Keating floated the dollar, with the exchange rate reflecting the balance of payments as well as supply and demand on international money markets. The decision was made on 8 December 1983 and announced on 9 December 1983. In the two decades that followed, its highest value relative to the US dollar

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1848-547: The Lyons government , recommended that Australia adopt "a system of decimal coinage ... based upon the division of the Australian pound into 1000 parts ". This recommendation was not accepted either. In February 1959, treasurer Harold Holt appointed a Decimal Currency Committee, chaired by Walter D. Scott , to examine the merits of decimalisation. The committee reported in August 1960 in favour of decimalisation and proposed that

1932-533: The Reserve Bank Act 1959 without an amount limit. Section 16 of the Currency Act 1965 similarly provides that Australian coins intended for general circulation are also legal tender, but only for the following amounts: However, being legal tender does not necessarily oblige businesses to accept cash. The Reserve Bank states that businesses can set commercial terms for a transaction that requires

2016-480: The Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia announced the show would be cancelled due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. The following year the 2021 show was scheduled to go ahead but was cancelled about three weeks before the show; this is due to risks associated with the Delta variant . After a two-year hiatus, the show returned in 2022. The society runs a number of competitive sections at

2100-466: The U.S. dollar at A$ 1 = US$ 1.12. With the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system in 1971, Australia converted the traditional peg to a fluctuating rate against the US dollar. In September 1974, Australia valued the dollar against a basket of currencies called the trade weighted index (TWI) in an effort to reduce the fluctuations associated with its tie to the US dollar. The daily TWI valuation

2184-515: The bouncy castle . In the past, many traveling carnivals also had a sideshow that accompanied them. Admission to see these curiosities or exhibits required an extra fee. Some sideshows featured a single exhibit, but some had multiple acts or exhibits under one tent (slang term: Ten-in-One). Human acts may include people with multiple arms or legs, midgets , extremely tall people, obese people, people born with facial or other deformities , and tattooed people. The term used for this type of show

2268-498: The coconut shy in which players throw balls at coconuts balanced on posts, winning the coconut if they manage to dislodge it. Other side stalls range from the trivially easy, such as hooking rubber ducks from a water trough in which nearly every player is expected to win a prize, to the deceptively challenging, which includes games which utilize optical illusions or physical relationships that are difficult to judge. Highly profitable (and therefore timeless) games include: Much of

2352-415: The deep-fried Twinkie , chocolate hot dogs, Dippin' Dots ice cream, the blooming onion , and "deep-fried butter on-a-stick" are some of the delicacies that can be found at carnival food stands. At many traveling carnivals, there are games of chance and skill. Games like the " Crossbow Shoot" game or the " Balloon and Darts " game will test an individual's target shooting ability. Other games, such as

2436-446: The dollar or Aussie dollar ) is the official currency and legal tender of Australia , including all of its external territories , and three independent sovereign Pacific Island states : Kiribati , Nauru , and Tuvalu . In April 2022 , it was the sixth most-traded currency in the foreign exchange market and as of Q4 2023 the seventh most-held reserve currency in global reserves . The Australian dollar

2520-570: The " Baseball and Basket " or "Stand the Bottle" game, may offer a large prize to any winner. While the majority of game operators run honest games, some people are wary of carnival games. This may be because carnival games in the past gained a reputation for being dishonest. The term "mark" (slang term: " sucker ") originated with the carnival. When dishonest carnival game operators found someone whom they could entice to keep playing their "rigged" (slang term: "gaffed") game, they would then "mark"

2604-413: The " Water gun " game, will pit a group of individuals against each other to win the game. Chance is involved in games like the "Duck Pond" game or the "Pingpong Ball" and "Fishbowl" games. Most games offer a small prize to the winner. Prizes may be stuffed animals, toys, posters, etc. Continued play is encouraged as multiple small prizes may traded in for a larger prize. Some more difficult games, including

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2688-451: The Australian dollar varies significantly during the business cycle, rallying during global booms as Australia exports raw materials, and falling during recessions as mineral prices slump or when domestic spending overshadows the export earnings outlook. This movement is in the opposite direction to other reserve currencies, which tend to be stronger during market slumps as traders move value from falling stocks into cash. The Australian dollar

2772-449: The Australian dollar were issued in 1966. The $ 1, $ 2, $ 10 and $ 20 notes had exact equivalents in the former pound notes. The $ 5 note was issued in 1967, the $ 50 was issued in 1973 and the $ 100 was issued in 1984. The $ 1 banknote was replaced by a $ 1 coin in 1984, while the $ 2 banknote was replaced by a smaller $ 2 coin in 1988. Although no longer printed, all previous notes of the Australian dollar remain legal tender. Shortly after

2856-741: The Band of the Southern Command, the Band of the Central Command, and the SA Police Band , for a massed band display. In 1990, $ 1.3 million was spent on capital improvements. Prior to 1987, with a three-term school year, the show was always held in a school holiday period. With the changeover to a four-term year, arrangements were made between the show organisers and the Department for Education whereby Adelaide schools arrange

2940-604: The Executive. A railway siding was negotiated with the Railway Department, drainage and sewerage problems addressed, negotiations initiated with the Tramways Trust for an 'electric car' service, grading and levelling planned, and tenders called for erection of facilities. A fine draught horse pavilion has been erected and the building of a sheep pavilion commenced. The site's main pavilion, Centennial Hall ,

3024-735: The Showbag Pavilion next to the Main Arena, and are mainly promotion for the companies that produce them. From the 1900s, showbags started as free sample bags that were given to visitors of displays. By the 1950s, as the original showbags grew in popularity, they eventually ceased to be free and a small fee of 3 or 6 pence was taken. Nowadays, over 350 different bags are available, and a single showbag can range from $ 3 to $ 135 depending on its contents. Showbags are mostly popular with young children and teenagers, although there are some showbags, such as Breaking Bad and Darrell Lea , aimed at

3108-501: The United States. Due to the type of acts featured along with sometimes using dishonest business practices, the traveling carnivals were often looked down upon. Modern traveling carnivals usually make contracts with local governments in order to play both state and county fairs , as well as smaller venues (such as store parking lots, church bazaars, volunteer fire department fund raisers, and civic celebrations). Originally,

3192-460: The World's Fair, and began a tour of the northeast US. His company closed due to poor business practices before completing its first tour. Some members of his company formed successful traveling carnivals after Otto Schmitt's company closed. The appeal of this new type of entertainment was embraced. In 1902, there were seventeen traveling carnivals in the US. The number grew to 46 in 1905; by 1937 there

3276-570: The banking system and cash in circulation in other countries or held as a foreign exchange reserve . Section 51(xii) of the Constitution of Australia gives the Commonwealth (federal) Parliament the power to legislate with respect to "currency, coinage, and legal tender". The states are not allowed to coin money, in accordance with section 115 which provides that "[a] State shall not coin money, nor make anything but gold and silver coin

3360-526: The base and the rest of the ride is then dismantled and folded up to allow for over the road transport. Food stands are usually tow-behind trailers , although there are still some booths that require complete take down and packing. Some large carnival operators use the railroad to transport their equipment from one location to another. A traveling carnival operator may schedule their carnival for certain seasons. They will have their carnivals in warm climate southern areas and then move into northern regions during

3444-538: The cars auctioned off (one donated to the Royal Show's archives). It was replaced with two portable coasters, a Zyklon model ZL42 roller coaster imported from Italy named The Big Dipper, and a Spinning wild mouse named Crazy Coaster. Both were very popular at the 2008 show. On 12 September 2014, an eight-year-old girl visiting Australia from Malaysia died after slipping from her seat on the Airmaxx 360. Operators of

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3528-691: The changeover, substantial counterfeiting of $ 10 notes was detected. This provided an impetus for the Reserve Bank of Australia to develop new note technologies jointly with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation , culminating in the introduction of the first polymer banknote in 1988. Australia was the first country to produce polymer banknotes , more specifically made of polypropylene polymer, which were produced by Note Printing Australia . These revolutionary polymer notes are cleaner than paper notes, are more durable and easily recyclable. The first polymer banknote

3612-465: The circulating two dollar, one dollar, and 20 cent coins. In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of decimal currency , the 2006 mint proof and uncirculated sets included one- and two-cent coins. In early 2013, Australia's first triangular coin was introduced to mark the 25th anniversary of the opening of Parliament House. The silver $ 5 coin is 99.9% silver, and depicts Parliament House as viewed from one of its courtyards. The first paper issues of

3696-689: The development of the natural resources of our noble colony". On 8 December 1840, the first Show was held in the yards of Fordham's Hotel, Grenfell Street, and was an exhibition of produce which included vegetables, cereals, cheese, wool, and leather. The first show of livestock, the Agricultural Exhibition, was held on 20 October 1843 at Auction Mart Tavern, Hindley Street. From 1844 to 1859, the Agricultural and Horticultural Shows, displaying both produce and livestock, were held at Botanic Park , and for many decades, shows were held twice

3780-525: The duke's visit, the society and show went on to receive his royal patronage in 1868. In 1887 the society ran their Spring Show concurrently with the Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition , from 14 to 17 September, but at the "Old Exhibition Grounds" on the other side of Frome Road. The show had been extended from two to four days on account of the great interest shown, particularly in the display of sheep, which

3864-583: The east coast of the Australian continent, followed in 1977 by a coin for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee , the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, the Brisbane Commonwealth Games in 1982, and the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. Issues expanded into greater numbers in the 1990s and the 21st century, responding to collector demand. Commemorative designs have also been featured on

3948-452: The end of China's large-scale purchases of Australian commodities in 2013, however, the Australian dollar's value versus the US dollar has since plunged to $ 0.88 as of end-2013, and to as low as $ 0.57 in March 2020. As of 2024, it has traded at a range of $ 0.63 to $ 0.68. In 2016, the Australian dollar was the fifth most traded currency in world foreign exchange markets , accounting for 6.9% of

4032-636: The first time since becoming a freely traded currency, trading above US$ 1 for a few seconds. The currency then traded above parity for a sustained period of several days in November, and fluctuated around that mark into 2011. On 27 July 2011, the dollar hit a record high since floating, at $ 1.1080 against the US dollar. Some commentators speculated that its high value that year was related to Europe's sovereign debt crisis , and Australia's strong ties with material importers in Asia and in particular China . Since

4116-483: The former Australian, New Zealand, and British sixpence, shilling, and two shilling (florin) coins. Pre-decimal Australian coins remain legal tender for 10 cents per shilling. Before 2006 the old New Zealand 5, 10 and 20 cent coins were often mistaken for Australian coins of the same value, and vice versa, and therefore circulated in both countries. The UK replaced these coins with smaller versions from 1990 to 1993, as did New Zealand in 2006. Still, some confusion occurs with

4200-657: The human fountain, were later found to be fakes. Daredevil shows like the globe of death , which features motorcycles performing inside an enclosed sphere , or a high diving act were sometimes included. Burlesque shows (slang term: kootch shows) were also part of the traveling carnival for a time as well. Displays like Bonnie and Clyde 's death car or Hitler 's staff car were also seen at some traveling carnivals. Australian dollar#History The Australian dollar ( sign : $ ; code : AUD ; also abbreviated A$ or sometimes AU$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies ; and also referred to as

4284-505: The intrinsic value of the silver content rising to exceed the face value of the coins. Aluminium bronze (92% copper, 6% aluminium, 2% nickel) 1 dollar coins were introduced in 1984, followed by aluminium bronze 2 dollar coins in 1988, to replace the banknotes of that value. In everyday Australian parlance, these coins collectively are referred to as "gold coins". 1 and 2 cent coins were discontinued in 1991 and withdrawn from circulation in 1992; since then cash transactions have been rounded to

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4368-654: The larger-denomination coins in the two countries; Australia's $ 1 coin is similar in size to New Zealand's $ 2 coin, and the New Zealand $ 1 coin is similar in size to Australia's $ 2 coin. With a mass of 15.55 grams (0.549 oz) and a diameter of 31.51 millimetres ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 4  in), the Australian 50-cent coin is one of the largest coins used in the world today. The Royal Australian Mint also has an international reputation for producing quality numismatic coins. It has first issued commemorative 50-cent coins in 1970, commemorating James Cook 's exploration along

4452-424: The machine, C J And Sons Amusement, were later fined $ 157,000 due to inadequate maintenance. In 2019, The Beast, XXXL, Speed 2 and Extreme were banned from the Royal Adelaide Show for having a faulty backup restraint mechanism. The Happy Kangaroo ride was also banned for unknown reasons, despite appearing in the catalogue. One of the most notable and well known aspects of the show are the showbags . They are sold in

4536-575: The main carnival range in price from $ 8 to $ 20 (e.g. Speed 2 and The Beast). However most rides average at $ 10 with discounts available on select rides. In 2000, the Spin Dragon collapsed, injuring around 40 people, while in 2006, part of the Twin Flip ride collapsed, injuring four. On the last day of the 2007 Show, the Mad Mouse roller coaster was retired from service. The track was dismantled,

4620-613: The most attractive aspect of a fair, but many people come for other reasons. Fairs usually only feature one or two coasters. Funfairs are seen as family entertainment, and most include a significant number of children's rides. Many of these are smaller, platform based rides like, cup & saucer , toy sets, train rides, as well as smaller slower versions of the adult rides, Ferris wheels , waltzers, even children's bumper cars. Such rides are usually referred to as "juvenile rides" or just "juveniles". There are also other items for children such as slides, mirror mazes fun houses, and variations on

4704-456: The nearest 5 cents . Australia's coins are produced by the Royal Australian Mint , which is located in the nation's capital, Canberra . Since opening in 1965, the Mint has produced more than 14 billion circulating coins, and has the capacity to produce more than two million coins per day, or more than 600 million coins per year. Current Australian 5, 10 and 20 cent coins are identical in size to

4788-429: The new currency would be called the "royal". This met with widespread public disapproval, and three months later it was announced that it would instead be named the "dollar". The pound was replaced by the dollar on 14 February 1966 with the conversion rate of A$ 2 = A£1. For example, a pre-decimal amount of nine pounds, sixteen shillings and sixpence (£9 16s 6d) became $ 19.65 in terms of dollars and cents. Since Australia

4872-644: The new monetary system to be introduced. In the 1960s to 1980s, new competitive sections for the blind and disabled were introduced, plus an additional four classes in the knitting and crochet section for the over 70s. Main Arena attractions included the Pacific Islands Regiment Band, which consisted of 75 Papuans and New Guineans from all parts of the territory. They joined with the Royal Australian Navy Band ,

4956-542: The new site stated: The competition for best design for the new showgrounds drew fifty responses and twenty six firm designs. Mr C R Heath's design was awarded first prize of £500. Designs came from New Zealand , England and all Australian States. The Building Committee, consisting of the President and Vice-Presidents and the Secretary, was appointed to supervise the work and confer with the architects and to report to

5040-531: The overheads of running fairground equipment – the cost of merchandise, diesel, staff, and rents. Typical prizes change to reflect popular tastes. A traditional fairground prize used to be a goldfish in a small plastic bag, but these have fallen out of favor, partly because goldfish are no longer seen as exotic, but also because of animal welfare concerns. Many stalls offer cuddly toys as prizes. Many traveling carnivals bring with them an assortment of rides. Some rides are for young children and may include

5124-469: The player by patting their back with a hand that had chalk on it. Other game operators would then look for these chalk marks and entice the individual to also play their rigged game. This is not common practice anymore, although there still are a few confidence men in the carnival business. Learning about how carnival games work can help an individual from being cheated . Most stalls feature games of skill or strength. The most traditional example being

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5208-572: The prevailing view that the Australian dollar offers diversification benefits in a portfolio containing the major world currencies, especially because of its greater exposure to Asian economies and the commodities cycle. Economists posit that commodity prices are the dominant driver of the Australian dollar, and this means changes in exchange rates of the Australian dollar occur in ways opposite to many other currencies. For decades, Australia's balance of trade has depended primarily upon commodity exports such as minerals and agricultural products. This means

5292-653: The safety of the riders. Regulation varies by jurisdiction. There is constant innovation, with new variations on ways to spin and throw passengers around, in an effort to attract customers. With the requirement that rides be packed into one or more trailers for travel, there is a limit to the size of the rides, and funfairs struggle to compete with much larger attractions, such as roller coasters , found in amusement parks . See also amusement rides . Some fairs may feature compact roller coasters to attract teenagers and preteens. Roller coasters feature steep drops, sharp curves, and sometimes loops. Roller coasters are generally

5376-447: The second polymer series. However, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the government has announced that the $ 5 note will be replaced with a design reflecting Indigenous history and culture. Prior to 1983, Australia maintained a fixed exchange rate . The Australian pound was initially at par from 1910 with the British pound or A£1 = UK£1; from 1931 it was devalued to A£1 = 16s sterling. This reflected its historical ties as well as

5460-479: The show features entertainment , exhibitors, sideshows, rides, and showbags . It is attended by up to half a million people every year, making it the state's biggest event. It is also regarded as "the longest running event on the South Australian calendar". The South Australian Agricultural Society was founded on 28 October 1839 "for the advancement of agricultural and pastoral knowledge, and to promote

5544-555: The show in six categories: In 2014, 16,993 ribbons were awarded to individual prize winners. The Main Arena is the largest area of Adelaide Showground , and is the primary location for the 'Horses in Action' program (including the World Cup Qualifiers). In the evening, it features family entertainment, including V8 utes , motocross , and monster trucks . Every night of the show at 9:00 pm (weather permitting), there

5628-519: The temporary Showground Central railway station (2003–2013), which was only operated during the show, the new station is serviced every day as a regular part of the Seaford, Flinders, and Belair lines. In 2017, the Main Carnival underwent a major face-lift with new paving, walkways, grass areas, toilets, bins and trees being added to replace the gravel and portable toilets. On 14 April 2020,

5712-483: The true "con artistry" has been driven out of funfairs in the twentieth century, and combined with an increasing emphasis on the role of families and small children in such entertainment, contemporary showmen often find greater profit in pricing their games far above the value of the prizes being offered, with complex formula for upgrading to the large prizes that advertise the game and instill desire among customers. The rises in pricing of many side stalls must often reflect

5796-440: The use of a non-cash payment. However, a business may technically be required to accept cash if they are taken to court, but this is usually not a viable option for consumers. Australian notes and coins are also legal tender in the independent sovereign states of Kiribati , Nauru , and Tuvalu . Nauru never had its own currency. Tuvalu and Kiribati additionally had their respective Tuvaluan and Kiribati dollars at par with

5880-422: The warmer months. Admission is often charged for county or state fairs, but is usually free at most carnivals. Tickets or all-day passes are usually sold for rides. When a carnival is "playing" a fair, exhibits or displays may charge their own entry fee, as well as some entertainment acts (such as a music concert, tractor pulling , or a demolition derby ). There are food stands at carnivals which serve

5964-591: The world's daily share (down from 8.6% in 2013) behind the United States dollar , the euro , the Japanese yen and the pound sterling . The Australian dollar is popular with currency traders, because of the comparatively high interest rates in Australia, the relative freedom of the foreign exchange market from government intervention, the general stability of Australia's economy and political system, and

6048-572: Was $ 0.881 in December 1988. The lowest ever value of the dollar after it was floated was 47.75 US cents in April 2001. It returned to above 96 US cents in June 2008, and reached 98.49 later that year. Although the value of the dollar fell significantly from this high towards the end of 2008, it gradually recovered in 2009 to 94 US cents. On 15 October 2010, the dollar reached parity with the US dollar for

6132-428: Was an estimated 300 carnivals touring the country. Worldwide there are many different traveling carnival companies. Most carnivals are not made up of just one operator of rides, food or games. Many of these venues are operated by independent owners who contract (or "book") with the carnival. These independent owners are contract to pay the carnival operator a percentage of what their ride or stand gross in sales. It

6216-474: Was called a freak show . Animal oddities, such as the two-headed calf, the miniature horse , etc., were featured in the freak show as well. Changing public opinions and increased medical knowledge have led to a decline of these type of shows. Another type of act at the sideshow was the thrill act. Examples of these acts included fire eaters , sword swallowers , the human blockhead , the human pin cushion, and knife throwers. Some of these types of acts, such as

6300-595: Was changed in November 1976 to a periodically adjusted valuation. The highest valuation of the Australian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar was during the period of the peg to the U.S. dollar. On 9 September 1973, the peg was adjusted to US$ 1.4875, the fluctuation limits being changed to US$ 1.485–US$ 1.490; on both 7 December 1973 and 10 December 1973, the noon buying rate in New York City for cable transfers payable in foreign currencies reached its highest point of 1.4885 U.S. dollars to one dollar. In December 1983,

6384-604: Was introduced as a decimal currency on 14 February 1966 to replace the non-decimal Australian pound , with the conversion rate of two dollars to the pound (A£1 = A$ 2). It is subdivided into 100 cents . The $ symbol precedes the amount. On the introduction of the currency, the $ symbol was intended to have two strokes, but the version with one stroke has also always been acceptable. In 2023 , there were A$ 4.4 billion in coins and A$ 101.3 billion in notes of Australian currency in circulation , or around A$ 6,700 per person in Australia, which includes cash reserves held by

6468-520: Was issued in 1988 as a $ 10 note commemorating the bicentenary of European settlement in Australia. The note depicted on one side a young male Aboriginal person in body paint, with other elements of Aboriginal culture. On the reverse side was the ship Supply from the First Fleet, with a background of Sydney Cove, as well as a group of people to illustrate the diverse backgrounds from which Australia has evolved over 200 years. The first polymer series

6552-462: Was not acted upon. The Australian pound (A£) was introduced in 1910, at par with the pound sterling (A£1 = UK£1). Like the UK pound, it was divided into 240 pence, or 20 shillings (each comprising 12 pence). In December 1931, the Australian currency was devalued by 25%, so that one pound five shillings Australian was equivalent to one pound sterling. In 1937, a banking royal commission , appointed by

6636-637: Was of a very high standard. From May 1895, the Autumn Show was held at a new venue, the Jubilee Exhibition Building on North Terrace, and the horse events were held at the nearby Jubilee Oval . In 1896, the first Live Stock Show was held at the new site. There were no shows held in 1915–1919 due to the effects of WWI and the Spanish flu epidemic . In 1925, the show became an annual event, and moved to Wayville. A report regarding

6720-506: Was opened on 20 March 1936. Between 1940 and 1946, shows were cancelled, with the exception of a Wine Show in 1946, due to WWII and the military occupation of the grounds. In February 1966, a soccer match between traditional rivals Hellas and Juventus on the opening night of the show created much interest. Another area of interest was the Decimal Currency Board's display, with the 'Dollar Girls' on hand to explain

6804-451: Was rolled out starting 1992 and featured the following persons: A special centenary issue of the $ 5 note in 2001 featured Sir Henry Parkes and Catherine Helen Spence . In 2015–2016 there were petitions to feature Fred Hollows on the upgraded $ 5 note, but failed to push through when the new note was introduced on 1 September 2016. Australia also prints polymer banknotes for a number of other countries through Note Printing Australia ,

6888-478: Was scheduled to be introduced in February 1966, with a base unit equal to 10 shillings, and that a Decimal Currency Board would be established to oversee the transition process. A public consultation process was held in which over 1,000 names were suggested for the new currency. This was reduced to a shortlist of seven names: austral, crown, dollar, pound, regal, tasman and royal. In June 1963, Holt announced that

6972-549: Was set up near the fairground) and burlesque shows. It also featured the original Ferris Wheel , constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. Following the Chicago World's Fair, the term "midway" was adopted from the Midway Plaisance to denote the area at county and state fairs where sideshow entertainment was located. Otto Schmitt, a showman at the world's fair, formed Chicago Midway Plaisance Amusement Company. The company featured thirteen acts, including some from

7056-481: Was still part of the fixed-exchange sterling area , the exchange rate was fixed to the pound sterling at a rate of A$ 1 = 8s sterling (or £1 stg = A$ 2.50, and in turn £1 stg = US$ 2.80). In 1967, Australia effectively left the sterling area when the pound sterling was devalued against the US dollar from US$ 2.80 to US$ 2.40, but the Australian dollar chose to retain its peg to the US dollar at A$ 1 = US$ 1.12 (hence appreciating in value versus sterling). The Australian dollar

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