As part of the ABC's Curious Adelaide series, reader Brendon Madey has asked, "What have been some of the more unusual uses for the Adelaide Park Lands? I believe there used to be a private zoo."

Noel Coward with koalas at the koala farm in the Adelaide Parklands in about 1938. ( SLSA/ PRG-119-33-3-19 )

We've decided to take a look.

And it turns out the Adelaide Park Lands has had quite the colourful history.

Was there a private zoo?

There was, and it started with some slithering creatures.

A snake park opened in 1926 on Sir Edwin Smith Avenue in North Adelaide, opposite the Women's and Children's Hospital.

It was set up by the director of the Zoological Society, Alfred Minchin, who added a koala farm to the enterprise where locals, tourists and celebrities would come to cuddle the marsupials.

Seals, camels and octopuses were also attractions at the private zoo and aquarium.

It closed in 1960 and in 1986 became "Peace Park" with a memorial dedicated to the Tiananmen Square massacre, a plaque thanking Adelaide for its welcome and hospitality to American military personnel during World War II and a running track dedicated to Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy.

Park Lands set aside for public use in Light's plan

The Park Lands were included in Colonel William Light's original plans for Adelaide in 1837 as "a place for public recreation".

As earlier as 1838, settlers were admonished by acting governor Charles Mann for cutting down trees in the parklands.

Horses grazing in Park 6 of the Adelaide Parklands. ( ABC News: Eugene Boisvert )

"The trees on the Park Land are public property, and consequently, it is as much an act of audacity to injure or destroy them as it would be to enter the private estate of a gentleman and cut down or remove the trees therefrom," he wrote.

Other interesting uses for the parklands have included as a quarry, a racecourse, a reservoir, a sewage farm and as a tip for "sweepings" — horse droppings from city streets.

Sheep and cattle once grazed the Park Lands throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, earning money for the city council and keeping the grass down.

And surprisingly, the last cow wasn't removed from the areas near the North Adelaide railway station until 1972.

Horses still "depasture" in the Park Lands between North Adelaide and Medindie, however their owners have to live within two kilometres of the area.

Temporary uses favoured over permanent ones

The council has been keen to make more use — albeit temporary — of the Park Lands, leasing them out for events like the Adelaide Fringe, the Adelaide 500 and Glendi.

But there still remains concern around some types of development.

The Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association was formed in 1987 in opposition to private use.

Shane Sody on King William Road where the Walker building is going up. ( ABC News: Eugene Boisvert )

President Shane Sody told the ABC that most members had some sympathy for temporary uses of the Park Lands.

"It's another thing to erect big buildings on the Park Lands and saying this is going to bring people in, therefore it's a good use of the Park Lands," Mr Sody said.

"If that's you're only criteria, you may as well put offices and buildings and apartment blocks across the entire lot."

There has been some construction over the years.



The Adelaide Casino and the Adelaide Convention Centre opened in 1985 and 1987 respectively on what was previously railyards.

The same area in the northern side of the parklands was once home to the Adelaide City Baths from 1861 to 1969, and the Cheer-up Hut, which provided food and entertainment for soldiers during World War I and II.

Previous uses still being discovered to this day

The Adelaide Park Lands Authority advises the Adelaide City Council and State Government on new uses and developments in the Park Lands.

The authority's executive officer, Martin Cook, said balancing events, sport and open accessible areas was a "constant shifting game between the council and the State Government and the general public".

"I think it's amazing they [the Park Lands] have survived over the years because there's always been a strong interest in using them for various purposes," Mr Cook said.

Cattleyards in the parklands where the Royal Adelaide Hospital is now. ( SLSA/PRG-280-1-7-195 )

"It's probably down to various organisations like the Adelaide Park Lands Preservation Association as social champions for the Park Lands persuading the council and government to maintain them as public lands."

The council itself is still uncovering details about previous uses, such as a camp called Emigration Square.

The camp's location was a subject of debate until a council ride-on lawnmower wheel got stuck in a hole just west of Adelaide High School in 2010.

"It turned out to be an old well that was in the middle of the [Emigration Square] site," Mr Cook said.

"It operated from 1838 to 1849 and it was the first point of settlement when people came from Glenelg as they moved up towards the site of the city and as it was being laid out and developed.

"It was like a holding point before they found somewhere in the city to live."

Another less well known use was the cattle saleyards that operated where the new Royal Adelaide Hospital is until now 1913 — opposite the Newmarket Hotel on North Terrace.

A slaughterhouse was located where the Bonython Park kiosk is.

A proposal for carparks in the Adelaide Parklands from 1951. ( Trove/The Advertiser )

Proposed uses for the parklands that never went ahead

Ideas the parklands that never got off the ground include a "White City" amusement park in 1914, an airport in 1939, carparks in 1951 and a helipad in 2016.

The carpark proposal was enthusiastically supported by the RAA, as long as good public transport could be provided to link them with the city centre.

"There is nothing to fear from the aesthetic view point," an RAA spokesman said, according to The Advertiser.

"The new car parks promise to be more attractive aesthetically than the present park lands."

An artist's impression of Adelaide's Festival Plaza with the new Walker office building (centre) and casino (right). ( SA Government )

So what now?

The Walker Corporation is building a 23-storey office building between the Festival Theatre — which opened in 1973 — and State Parliament in a $430 million investment.

Mr Sody said it was an example of "commercial development for private profit taking away parklands".

"We've never seen anything on the enormous scale of what's going to be constructed on the Festival Plaza," he said.

As for what else the future holds for the Park Lands, only time will tell.