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". 
Images 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.