Wirth Circus, in Sydney, Australia , was founded in 1882 and the first elephant arrived in 1899. Wirth Circus closed down in 1963.
Ocean View at 370 Alison Road, Sydney, was built in 1916 by Phillip Wirth, a prominent member of the Wirth circus dynasty. Because of the cramped conditions associated with circus life, the Australian Heritage Database states, "he was determined that his house would be of a grand nature, providing his family with all the creature comforts and conveniences that life on the road had deprived them of." Perched on a ridge with panoramic coastal views, the two-storey home has an ensuite in each bedroom - one of the earliest houses in Sydney known to have such mod cons. There was even a private zoo on the original 3693 square-metre block. When the circus was in town, residents would witness a parade of animals moving between the eastern suburbs and the city.
