From the gold rush era onwards, several international female performers toured Australia, leaving a lasting impact on its entertainment scene.

Lola Montez became famous for her Spider Dance, which shocked and delighted audiences on the goldfields. Her popularity endured—so much so that in 1958, the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust staged a musical about her life.

In 1891, acclaimed French actress Sarah Bernhardt toured Australia. Crowds flocked to see her in La Dame aux Camélias (Camille, or The Lady of the Camellias) by Alexandre Dumas.

Circuses were among the earliest popular entertainment forms in Australia. For more than a century, travelling shows were a major attraction, especially in regional areas.

As rural populations declined and new entertainment options like cinemas and television emerged, traditional circuses became less common. Public concern about animal welfare also led to fewer animals being used in performances.

From the 1960s to the 1990s, contemporary circuses such as Cirque du Soleil became popular. These performances focused on human acrobatics, movement and storytelling. Australia has its own celebrated troupes, including the Flying Fruit Fly Circus and Circus Oz.

Magicians also captivated Australian audiences. Harry Houdini visited in 1910 to great acclaim.

Australia’s own Norman Murray Walters—known professionally as Murray the Escapologist—became a global sensation with his daring escape acts. Some credit him with coining the word 'escapology'.

Despite the geographic isolation of Australia, Australian culture has been influenced by a range of other cultures across the globe. It was connected to the wider world through overseas touring companies and performers, and by Australians performing overseas.

Con Colleano was an Aboriginal circus performer. He also had African heritage and later adopted a Spanish toreador persona in his performances. In 2004 the Albury-based Flying Fruit Fly Circus produced Skipping on Stars, a show about Colleano’s extraordinary life.

The growth of performing arts in Australia was supported by passionate and well-funded entrepreneurs in the 19th century.

People like George Coppin, Bland Holt, J.C. Williamson, George Musgrove and Harry Rickards helped establish theatres and manage performing companies. Some were actor–managers who performed while also running productions.

Letters between performers and their managers reveal the everyday challenges of theatre life in this period.