1935, Photograph, B 6755
Old Lunatic Asylum, East of Botanic Gardens which was demolished in 1938. A cutting from the Advertiser dated Dec. 17, 1937 reads as follows: "As announced by the Government at the beginning of August, it is proposed to pull down the deserted hospital and incorporate its grounds in the Botanic Gardens. No decision has yet been made as to when the work of clearing the grounds and demolishing the buildings will be begun but it is probable that a start will be made before Christmas, or, failing that, early next year. The hospital stands on a rise in 10 acres of land, which will bring the area of a Botanic Garden up to 46 acres. At present the Botanic Garden comprises 40 acres, but as against the ten that it will gain by taking over the hospital grounds, it will lose four, partly to the Adelaide Hospital and partly to the High School, which is to be built on the Old Exhibition Ground in Frome Road. The surrender of four acres of little-used land in return for one acre of the best sites on North Terrace was an excellent deal for the Botanic Garden Board. Ever since the hospital was abandoned in October 1932, the board has had its eye on those 10 acres, and when the allotment was announced the director (Mr HC Greaves) declared enthusiastically that it was the best thing that has ever happened to us".