A glimpse into the past: Fascinating black and white photos of circus, fairs, and markets from the 1970s.

A fair is a gathering where buyers and sellers come together to conduct business, typically held at regular intervals at the same location and time of year, lasting for several days or even weeks. The main purpose of a fair is to encourage trade.

Fairs of the past featured a wide variety of products grouped by specific industries or product types. Today, trade fairs are more specialized, with exhibitors representing specific industries or segments of an industry. These photographs, taken by Simon Nowicki in 1977 and 1978, offer a glimpse into the circus, fairs and markets of Melbourne, Australia in black and white.