Melbourne International Exhibition
The Melbourne International Exhibition is the eighth World's fair officially recognised by the Bureau International des Expositions and the first official World's Fair in the Southern Hemisphere.
Preparations
After being granted self-governance, Victoria and New South Wales, saw a steady economic growth as a result of the discovery and exploitation of gold reserves. This growth during the 1850s and 1860s led to rivalry between their respective capitals Melbourne and Sydney. In the 1870's the focus turned to the outside world and proposals were made for organising an exhibition modelled on the great exhibitions of Europe, with an aim to promote commerce and industry, along with art, science and education.Melbourne started preparations in 1879 and filed a plan to the Parliament. Melbourne's rival Sydney, the older of the two cities, wanted to be the first and organised an exhibition in record time.
This Sydney International Exhibition started in October 1879, but it focused mainly on agriculture, so it was not really universal and therefore did not meet the criteria for official recognition by the BIE. Melbourne decided to start their exhibition shortly after the one in Sydney, so the participants could transport their exhibits during the winter of 1880.
In May 1878, the designs of Joseph Reed and Frederick Barnes were chosen for the Main Building of the Exhibition. On 19 February 1879 Governor Sir George Bowen laid the cornerstone in Carlton Garden for the new Exhibition Building. The building, built by David Mitchell, covered about 7 acres. Its nave measured 500 x 160 feet and the transept was 272 feet long. A large dome 60 feet in diameter rose 217 feet above the building. Two machinery annexes, each 460 x 138 feet, were built at the rear of the main building.