23 May 1883   Zoological Gardens

The Zoological Gardens were opened by the Governor, Sir William Robinson on 23 May 1883. In the early 1880s The Zoological and Acclimatization Society, headed by its President, the Chief Justice, Sir Samuel Way, proposed to establish a zoo on 13 acres of Botanic Park.

At first there was some opposition from the committee administering the Botanic Gardens, but eventually the land was granted on the understanding that there would be no more requests for further land. The head-keeper's lodge was built in 1882, the rotunda in 1884 and the director's residence in 1887-88. In spite of the original undertaking, in 1885 a further two acres were added to the zoo and another five acres in 1898. Some of the animals were moved from the Botanic Garden site and more were obtained through the generous donations of well known Adelaide citizens. 

At the opening the Governor congratulated the Society on establishing the beautiful gardens and went on:

          I take this opportunity of saying that I hope you will never
          desist from trying to prevent any encroachment upon those
          parklands which are so beautiful and beneficial both to the
          health and recreation of the citizens.

Michael Burden,  Lost Adelaide, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1983, p. 192.
The South Australian Register, 24 May 1883.
usan Marsden, Paul Stark, Patricia Sumerling (eds), Heritage of the City of Adelaide, Corporation of the City of Adelaide, 1990, pp. 278-279.