Claremont Showground facts for kids
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| Location | Claremont, Western Australia |
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| Coordinates | Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 614: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Public transit |  Showgrounds Claremont |
| Owner | Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia |
| Operator | Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia |
| Capacity | 40,000 (Big Day Out 2011) 10,000 (WAFL matches) |
| Opened | 1905 |
| Tenants | |
| Big Day Out (2002-2011, 2013) Perth Royal Show Claremont-Cottesloe Football Club (1926) Claremont Speedway (1927-2000) Supanova Pop Culture Expo (2008–2013) Claremont Football Club (2014–2016) |
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The Claremont Showground is a large event space near Perth, Western Australia. It is famous for hosting the yearly Perth Royal Show. In 1902, about 32 acres (13 hectares) of land in Claremont were set aside for this new showground. It was built to replace an older showground in Guildford. The first Royal Agricultural Show, which lasted three days, took place here in late 1905.
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History of Claremont Showground
The Claremont Showground has a long and interesting history. It has been used for many different purposes over the years.
Showground's Role in Wars
During both World War I and World War II, the showgrounds played an important role. They were used as a place to house and train Australian soldiers. This helped prepare troops for their duties during these major global conflicts.
Centenary Pavilion and Features
In 1929, new buildings and features were added to the showground. These were built as part of the celebrations for the Western Australia Centenary. This event marked 100 years since the founding of the Swan River Colony, which later became Western Australia.
Getting to the Showground by Train
The Claremont Showground has its own special railway station. This station is on the Fremantle train line. It opened on 20 September 1995, making it easy for people to get directly to the showgrounds. Before this, an older station, opened in 1954, was located further away. Visitors had to cross roads to reach the showground from that station.
Bruce Campbell Arena: The Heart of Events
The Bruce Campbell Arena is a large, enclosed grass field. It is the main area for many events held at the Claremont Showground.
Speedway Racing at Claremont
From 1927 until 2000, the Claremont Speedway operated around the edge of the arena. This track was 586 metres (641 yards) long. It was known as the biggest speedway in weekly use in an Australian state capital. After Claremont Speedway closed, speedway racing in Perth moved to the 500-metre (547-yard) Perth Motorplex Speedway in Kwinana Beach.
Australian Rules Football Matches
The arena has also been used for Australian rules football games. In 1907, the Perth team won its first championship against East Fremantle here. The Claremont-Cottesloe Football Club also played their first year in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) at the showgrounds in 1926. They moved to Claremont Oval in 1927.
On 19 March 2005, a special WAFL match was held at the showgrounds. Claremont played against West Perth, with Claremont winning in front of 7,812 fans. From 2014 to 2016, Claremont Football Club used the Showgrounds as their home ground. This was because their usual stadium, Claremont Oval, was being redeveloped.
