On 31 December 1878, the Royal Commission for the Sydney International Exhibition was established headed by Lord Augustus Loftus.

International response grew so rapidly that in June 1879, construction began on two large machinery halls and an art gallery.

Four steam tram motors were imported to Sydney and tracks laid from the Redfern railway station to the site.

Intended as a temporary transport installation, this became the genesis of a larger tram network[3] and probably the exhibition's most lasting legacy..

After being granted self-governance during the 1850s, the Australian colonies, Victoria and New South Wales, saw a steady economic growth as result of the discovery and exploitation of gold reserves.