Blackall celebrates pivotal role in story of Australia's circus industry with life-size elephant WedWednesday 27 updated WedWednesday 27 Jumbo the elephant, donated by Robert Perry, was transported from Geelong, Victoria to Blackall. ( Share Print text only Key points: Perry Bros would go on to become the first circus to circumnavigate Australia A life-size fibreglass elephant named Jumbo has been erected in Blackall in tribute to the troupe But for a 12-year-old girl in outback Queensland, that snap decision would end up altering the course of history and put her on the way to arguably becoming the brains behind Australia's circus industry. It was on the banks of the Barcoo River near Blackall that the Perry Bros Circus started in 1889.