BeachesMarine

Keith Minchin mixes seals, koalas, snakes, sharks and crocodiles at aquarium on Adelaide's Glenelg jetty 1929-1948

Keith Minchin mixes seals,  koalas, snakes, sharks and crocodiles at aquarium on Adelaide's Glenelg jetty 1929-1948
Keith Minchin's aquarium, half way along Adelaide's Glenelg jetty from 1929 before it was washed away in the 1948 storm (inset). The AKM signage presumably means Aquarium Keith Minchin. it also advertises a mix of "seals, koalas, death adder, python, crocodile and ornamental fish". 
I
mages courtesy Sttae Library of South Australia

Keith Minchin’s aquarium venture at Adelaide’s Glenelg from 1929 was washed away with the beach’s jetty by a storm in April 1948.

Minchin, from the family of long-time directors of Adelaide Zoo, set up his own snake park, with about 200 species, in 1927 near the zoo in the Adelaide city park lands.After accidents involving snakes, it was changed to a koala park, with seals, camels and octopuses added to the private zoo and aquarium.

The Advertiser in Adelaide in 1929 described the launch of the Minchin’s Glenelg jetty aquarium project: “Miss Elsie Prince, the English actress, will drive one of the piles for the Glenelg Jetty Aquarium. A large Australian flag which will be flying above the work, will be taken down, to be presented to Miss Prince as a souvenir. Miss Prince will then hoist the Union Jack, after which she will throw sweets from the jetty to the children on the beach.”  

The aquarium was promoted to display fish, sharks, dolphins, seals, stingrays, octopuses, "a huge deep-water crab weighing 30 lb., and gorgeous marine life". But Minchin dabbled in a crossover with his snake park and koala farm venues with koalas and death adders advertised among its attractions.

An advertisement headed “Glenelg aquarium manufactures edible snow” in The News, Adelaide, in December 1935, reflected Minchin’s showman flair: “The Aquarium exhibits garden ponds, water plants, and water lilies as well as penguins. sharks, rays. and hundreds of strange deep-sea fish. Seals and sea lions do marvellous stunt swimming in a huge glass tank holding 36 tons of water. A snow machine has been imported from America. This edible snow, which is made in public, is then given away free.”

The aquarium was partly washed away in the 1948 storm but Minichin’s koala farm – despite complaints about noise and smell – survived until 1960 when Adelaide city council ended its lease. 

The concept of an aquarium, combined with a hotel, on Glenelg jetty, was revived as part of a project considered in 2016 and later shelved by the state Liberal party.

Other related ADELAIDE AZ articles

Southern right or bay whales were the target for onshore whaling stations along the South Australian coast.
Business A (19th Century) >
Jacob Hagen, John Baker, John Hart in South Australian whale push with 'John Pirie' and Trial Bay station
READ MORE+
Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, at the southern end of the inner Adelaide metropolitan coastline, had its vibrant community life enhanced in the summer sailing season by the support of volunteers who, with staff, operated the committee vessels, safety boats, bridge and tractor-assisted boat launch and retrieval.
Sport >
Brighton and Seacliff Yacht Club, with Hardy/ community history, hosts Australia-first 505 world titles in 1966
READ MORE+
Andrew Fox (inset) and his keen observation of great white sharks led into photography with a library of more than 1,000 catalogued images of individual sharks.
Research >
Andrew Fox follows his father Rodney in South Australia to become a global authority on the great white sharks
READ MORE+
The South Australian seafood industry said there no evidence of microplastics in farmed mussels that grew under different conditions from the those studied by Flinders University in intertidal shoreline zones.
Environment >
Microplastics found by Flinders University in South Australia coast mussels: not in farmed mussels, says industry
READ MORE+
After significant restoration on the clipper, the coat of arms for Adelaide is officially unveiled at Port Adelaide on the stern of the City of Adelaide in 2017. Inset: An 1864 lithograph of the clipper.
Port Adelaide >
'City of Adelaide' – last of two clippers with 'Cutty Shark' – rescued to be restored as ship museum in name city
READ MORE+
The Tacoma, still operating out of Port Lincoln. Insets: Early 1950s tuna expeditions by the Tacoma, with pole fishing and a crew including Cris Jangaard and A.R. Haldane. Main image courtesy Tarcoma Preservation Society
Playford >
Port Lincoln tuna boom from South Australian government tapping talents of Haldanes and Jangaards in the 1950s
READ MORE+