Northcott’s guide to accessibility at the Sydney Royal Easter Show

It’s hard to believe that Easter is almost upon us once again! Along with shops filled with chocolate eggs and hot cross buns comes one of Sydney’s favourite annual events – the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

This year, the show will be running from Friday 8 April to Tuesday 19 April. To ensure you make the most of your day, we’ve put together the ultimate accessible guide to show.

Preparation

The Sydney Royal Easter Show is a fun day out, but with big crowds, lots of noise and plenty going on, it can also be a bit stressful. To make the day as enjoyable as possible it’s best to be prepared. Get your child ready by explaining to them what will be happening on the day. It also helps to know exactly where everything is by checking out the show map before you hit the show. Locate facilities like toilets, find some quiet spaces to go to if your child gets overwhelmed, make note of where the ‘must-dos’ are located e.g. the Showbag Hall, and identify where the exits are in case your child becomes distressed and you need to leave in a hurry. Where possible, try to avoid visiting the show on weekends and public holidays, as these days are likely to be the busiest.

Getting there

The best way to get to the show is by public transport. Extra trains will be running for the duration of the show and Sydney Olympic Park ‘Major Event’ buses will also be available, including scheduled wheelchair accessible buses which will travel on each route.

If you prefer to drive, accessible parking is available at Sydney Olympic Park, with nearly 400 accessible and mobility car parking spaces for people with disability.  If you decide to drive, it’s a good idea to book in advance to ensure you get a park on the day. To pre-book visit the Sydney Olympic Park website.

Attractions

The great thing about the Sydney Royal Easter Show is that there’s something for everyone.  Get your thrills on the show rides, check out entertainment in the amphitheatre, meet some seriously cute animals, or embrace show traditions at the exhibition stalls. To ensure you get to tick all your favourites off the list, visit the Explore & Plan section of the Easter show website.

Of course one of the most popular attractions at the show is the Showbag Hall. This also means it’s often the most crowded area. Rather than wandering around on the day, check out the website and get your list ready before you visit. This way you’ll be able to get in and out, goodies in hand, as quickly as possible.

Food

The easiest and cheapest option is to take your own food. Not only will you save money, but it also means less time lining up and more time having fun. However, if you’d prefer to enjoy a treat at the show, there’s plenty of dining options to choose from. The huge list of food vendors includes classics like the tasty toasties at The Cheese Toastie Factory, foodie-favourites at the Food Truck Feedlot and the deliciously decadent sounding Donut Pie.

COVID-19 Safety measures

To make sure everyone can come together safely, key COVID Safe measures for Sydney Royal Easter Show 2022 include:

• Limited daily capacity.
• Regular hygiene cleaning.
• Hand washing and hand sanitisation stations throughout the venue.
• Updated layout to enable increased physical distancing and ‘air flow’.
• COVID-19 event signage overlay and appropriate audio messaging.
• New digital ‘carnival fun pass’ replacing retired coupon system.
• Cashless purchasing options at all retail and catering outlets

If you are unwell or develop symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat or runny nose, get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result, do not attend the event.

For more information on the Sydney Royal Easter show, visit the website.