Mr Bullen’s Elephants focuses on the elephants that became part of Australia’s most recognisable circus family, the Bullens. Through carefully gathered records, photographs, and firsthand accounts, the book documents how these elephants were acquired, named, trained, toured, and ultimately remembered.
Rather than offering a broad history of circus elephants, this book narrows its lens to the Bullen operation itself, revealing the routines of life on the road, the logistics of moving and housing elephants across Australia, and the personalities of both animals and handlers. Individual elephants are brought into focus, giving readers insight into their working lives and their significance within the circus community.
Set against a backdrop of changing social values, Mr Bullen’s Elephants preserves a distinctly Australian circus story, capturing a time when elephants were central to the spectacle and identity of travelling shows. It is both a historical record and a tribute to a unique chapter in Australia’s entertainment history.