What changes are coming?
Adelaide Botanic Garden was assigned funding for three types of works. These are:
1) Upgrade of public amenities
The following free standing toilet facilities have been demolished and will be rebuilt in the same location with modern, sustainable practices to include toilets, family rooms with provision for children, and accessible toilets:
- Simpson Kiosk (E6 - next to the Main Lake) - CLOSED from 14 July 2022 - approximately mid-May 2023
- Francis Arbor (G4 - on the western border shared with Lot Fourteen) - CLOSED from 15 August 2022 - approximately June 2023
- Classgrounds (B10 - adjacent to Plane Tree Drive, Botanic Park) - CLOSED from 14 July 2022 - approximately late-May 2023. This will have a Changing Places toilet facility.
The following toilets, which are located within larger buildings, have also been upgraded. The renovations will improve ventilation and enhance the visitor experience.
- Schomburgk Pavilion (E10 - next to the Museum of Economic Botany and Diggers Shop). These are now open.
- Noel Lothian Hall (D15 - at the back of the Tram Barn, near the Rose Garden, opposite the Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden.) These are now open.
What toilets are now open?
- Noel Lothian Hall, between the Rose Garden and Kitchen Garden (D15 map reference). These include an accessible toilet and a baby change table.
- Portable toilets next to the Simpson Kiosk/Palm House (E5 map reference). These include an accessible toilet.
- Schomburgk Pavilion (E10 map reference). These include an accessible toilet and a baby change table.
2) Critical building restoration works on heritage-listed Tram Barn
Upgrades to the heritage-listed old Tram Barn, which houses the State Herbarium will take place.
In this building, scientists undertake vital scientific botanical research. It also holds the state’s scientific botanical collections.
Works will include salt damp remediation, roof sarking and roof insulation, all of which will help to manage temperature and humidity in the building, something the precious collections are at risk from. Additional shelving will also be installed to enable safer and more efficient storage of the Herbarium’s 1.2 million plus botanical collections.
3) Completing the wall repointing works and roof replacement of the heritage-listed Goodman Building
The Goodman Building is the admin centre of the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium. This work will involve the replacement and repair of the slate roof and eliminate water leaks into the historic building, which used to be the admin centre for Adelaide's tram network.