FOR Chantel Ashton-Rodriguez, owner and Managing Director of Ashton Entertainment and a sixth-generation member of Australia’s most famous circus family, the sight of the big top going up each week is more than tradition, it’s a sign the industry is still fighting.
Despite the recent closure of Hudson’s Circus, the unmistakable silhouette of the Ashton big top continues to rise across regional Australia, a symbol of resilience in an industry under mounting pressure.
“I can’t speak for Hudson’s, but for the circuses that are currently touring, the fuel crisis is affecting everyone,” Ms Ashton-Rodriguez said.
Across regional Queensland and northern New South Wales, circus convoys are still rolling into town week after week, erecting big tops and welcoming audiences even as conditions become more difficult.
The pressure is being felt most sharply at the box office.
“Our last school holidays we were sold out, we were turning people away,” Ms Ashton-Rodriguez said.
“These school holidays were extremely quiet, the lowest numbers we’ve seen in a long time.”
She said economic uncertainty was forcing families to reconsider spending.
“People are worried. Nobody knows what’s going to happen, so they’re holding on tight,” she said.
For travelling circuses, fuel is both a logistical necessity and a growing burden.
“We travel every single week and move a lot of vehicles. That costs quite a lot in fuel,” Ms Ashton-Rodriguez said.
“We’ve had service stations limit how much we can fill. One capped us at 200 litres.”
Despite these pressures, there is little room left to cut costs.
“We’re already operating on a skeleton crew. There’s not much more we can reduce,” Ms Ashton-Rodriguez said.
For Circus Ipswich founder Meg Hooper, the timing of launching a local circus festival just weeks after Hudson’s closure highlights both the fragility and strength of the sector.
“I think it’s incredibly sad that Hudson is closing,” Dr Hooper said. “Traditional circuses hold a really important part in circus history and the circus industry generally. They are the giants whose shoulders we all stand on.”
However, she acknowledged the economic reality.
“They effectively create a city wherever they go, and the fuel, insurance and wage costs that go with that are enormous and only increasing,” she said.
Even so, she does not believe the curtain is falling on the industry.
“One thing I know about circus folk though is that they are incredibly resilient,” Dr Hooper said.
“They have weathered just about every storm there is, including Covid.
Ms Ashton-Rodriguez said the future of the industry would ultimately depend on community support.
“We love what we do, but we can’t do it without an audience,” she said.
