By NOEL MURPHY
City Hall obstacles are stopping circuses performing in Geelong, according to booking agent Raymond Deller.
He lashed out at council for using spurious reasons to deny circuses access to venues such as Belmont Common, Seagull Paddock and Kardinia Park.
The volunteer agent, who works with several travelling circuses, said City Hall’s preferred venues at Geelong Showgrounds and Corio’s Sutcliffe Reserve were poor alternatives and claimed staff had denied him meetings to discuss the issue.
Geelong-based Circus Royale owner Damian Syred backed Mr Deller, saying City Hall “just doesn’t want to give us a ground”.
Council denied him access to Belmont Common and constantly steered his circus toward the showgrounds, which were constantly difficult to schedule, Mr Syred said.
“It’s a shame we miss out going to Geelong – we’re based in Geelong.
“I think maybe we should look elsewhere, pack up and go somewhere that wants us.”
Mr Syred said the problem went beyond Geelong and the Surf Coast, with numerous councils slipping circus bans through without public input.
“It always astounds me that councils are even in a position to censor circuses without the public having more of a say.
“People are wondering why we don’t come to town. Take the Surf Coast (council) – they snuck it in on the agenda but didn’t contact one single circus to put our side of it.”
Mr Deller, who once worked as a clown and ringmaster and now collects of circus memorabilia, recalled as a child seeing more than a dozen elephants with Bullens Circus at Torquay.
“They took them to the beach and they were swimming there. Why do people miss out now because one or two people don’t like circuses. They’re do-gooders with nothing better to do.”
City of Greater Geelong sport and recreation manager Paul Jane said council had two venues available for circuses and was examining several other potential sites.
He said the showgrounds was an excellent venue for circuses, with all the necessary facilities including animal enclosures.
The 14-hectare Sutcliffe Reserve site, on Plantation Rd, had high visibility and easy access from Geeong’s ring road, with around 24-thousand cars passing daily, he said.
Council expected at least two more circus sites to become available within the next 12 months, Mr Jane said.
