20-702: The Jubilee Oval was a sporting ground created in 1895 between the Jubilee Exhibition Building and the River Torrens . It was located next to the railway station at the end of the Jubilee Exhibition Railway line, which operated from 1887 to 1927. It incorporated a (banked) cycle racing track, and a new grandstand and seating on the mound were built in 1896. It was created, in part for the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society as
40-681: A Bill which was passed by Parliament in 1883. Subsequent opposition to the scheme on the grounds of the expense involved saw the Bill being repealed in 1884, and Sir Edwin T. Smith pushed for a less grandiose celebration, which resulted in the Act of 1885, and the voting of £32,000 for a permanent Exhibition Building, which after the Jubilee would become the home of the South Australian Institute . As originally conceived by Government Architect E. J. Woods ,
60-470: A crowd of approximately 9000 people, with the match finishing in a 2-all draw. On Saturday 6 October 1924, a football match organised by Sports and Games Committee of Adelaide was played between the Gawler Football Association and a team of Aborigines from Murray and Point Pearce stations. The aboriginal team playing with bare feet won a good game of football by 12.19 to 10.17. The oval
80-614: A life expectancy of 500 years. The tree, and a plaque immediately adjacent to the base of the tree (c.1917), are both heritage listed. The plaque states: "The War Memorial Oak planted by His Excellency the Governor Sir Henry Galway on Wattle Day August 29th 1914." About 20 metres south-east of the oak tree trunk stands a memorial to Sir Ross Macpherson Smith , KBE , MC & Bar , DFC & Two Bars , AFC (1892–1922). In 1919, he and brother Keith , Jim Bennett and Wally Shiers were
100-678: A venue for the Royal Adelaide Show , replacing their "Old Exhibition Grounds", which had been home to the Show for fifty years. The Autumn Show was held at the Jubilee Building in May 1895, with the horse events being held on the Oval. In 1896 the first Live Stock Show was held at the new site. The first sporting contest held on the oval may have been the cricket "friendly" between two Government departments:
120-603: The Adelaide Park Lands between the Adelaide Oval , War Memorial Drive, King William Road and St Peter's Cathedral . They were established in 1909 and named after South Australian sportsman John Creswell . The gardens contain a number of Adelaide's landmark features. The gardens have been rearranged many times during their history; probably the only constants since the 1920s are the WWI Memorial Oak Tree and
140-593: The Exhibition Building , was located opposite the corner of North Terrace and Pulteney Street . on what is now the University of Adelaide 's North Terrace campus, between Bonython Hall and the old School of Mines building (now University of South Australia 's City East campus) on the Frome Road corner. It was opened on 20 June 1887 and was used until the mid 1920s. In 1929 the land and building were transferred to
160-687: The Land Titles Office and Treasury in February 1895, using a matting wicket. The following month saw a match between two departments of the South Australian Register , though the condition of the ground was hardly conducive to an enjoyable game, a horse show having been held on the oval a week before. The first race on the cycle track took place in July 1895, and was praised, but very few spectators were present. The first League football match held on
180-674: The University, and the building was demolished in 1962 to make way for the Napier building. There were two fountains in front of the building. One is now located in front of the Rundle Mall entrance to the Adelaide Arcade , the other in the Creswell Gardens . The idea of South Australia hosting an international exhibition as a patriotic gesture was promoted in the early 1880s, culminating in
200-421: The area, dating from 1916, showing how as the surrounding roads and footpaths have increased in size, the area has changed from a rambling garden with a summer house and a southern boundary of the River Torrens to an area of lawn and large trees. The War Memorial Oak tree was planted on 29 August 1914 about 25 metres from War Memorial Drive. By 2014 the tree had a canopy approximately 30 metres in diameter, and
220-454: The first to fly from England to Australia. Ross Smith and Bennett were killed when a plane they were testing crashed in England on 13 April 1922. The bronze statue stands on a red granite plinth which features bronze bas-relief work depicting aeroplanes and various symbols. The sculptor was Frederick Brook Hitch who won a competition to design this statue. The 26 feet (7.9 m) tall memorial
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#1733092392027240-460: The floor to the crown of the inner dome, and 192 feet (59 m) from the floor line to the apex of the dome externally. The architects chosen were Withall & Wells, and W. Rogers the builder. The corner-stone was laid on 21 June 1886. Interest from exhibitors in the lead-up to the Jubilee meant that the building had to be extended during the construction process, but the building was completed, and filled with manufactures and produce from around
260-484: The gardens were bisected by Victor Richardson Road which led to John Dowie 's Victor Richardson gates. The gates have now been moved to a position south-west of the oak tree, a new East gate has been incorporated into the Eastern stands structure, and the road is now the entrance to the Oval's underground car park. A statue of Sir Donald Bradman by Robert Hannaford completed and placed in 1998 remains just north of what
280-744: The globe, within the year, well in time for the opening of the Festival on 21 June 1887. A railway line connecting the Adelaide railway station to the grounds behind the Exhibition Building passed under King William Road and ran between the Torrens Parade Ground and Government House . During the 1887 Jubilee 789,672 visitors passed through the exhibition. The building housed 2,200 exhibitions (valued at approximately £500,000) from 26 different countries. The Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition
300-446: The new building was to have a dome 112 feet (34 m) wide, an art gallery, 46 by 252 feet (14 by 77 m), a court 120 by 43 feet (37 by 13 m) with a gallery round it of 10 feet (3.0 m) width. A basement below this section 10 feet (3.0 m) high, three open courts for lighting and ventilation, each 120 by 66 feet (37 by 20 m) by 40 feet (12 m) high. Height of the dome 80 feet (24 m), 127 feet (39 m) from
320-630: The oval was Norwood v. West Adelaide on 7 May 1898. It also held the 1904 SAFA Grand Final between Port Adelaide and Norwood , with the latter winning the match. This is the only instance where the SANFL premiership grand final was not decided at either Adelaide Oval or Football Park . The oval was later deemed too small for SA league football, with the last game there being played on July 16, 1921, with South Adelaide defeating West Adelaide. On Saturday 6 October 1923, Australia played China in an association football match at Jubilee Oval in front of
340-539: The statue of Sir Ross Smith. An undated aerial photo of the gardens (circa 2014) can be found on page 5 of the South Australian Heritage Council's description of The War Memorial Oak tree. Since then there have been significant changes to the Adelaide Oval eastern stands and many associated changes to the layout of the gardens. The State Library of South Australia has several collections of photos of
360-544: Was demolished in 1945 to allow for new buildings for the University of Adelaide . Jubilee Exhibition Building The Jubilee Exhibition Building in Adelaide , South Australia, was built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria 's accession to the throne on 20 June 1837. The jubilees of her Coronation on 28 June 1838, and of the Proclamation of South Australia on 28 December 1836, were also invoked on occasion. The building, increasingly referred to as
380-468: Was funded by public donations to a "shilling fund" opened by the Lord Mayor of Adelaide. Prior to Adelaide Oval eastern stand developments, the fountain was located about 50 metres north of the oak tree. It was originally located on North Terrace in front of the long since demolished Jubilee Exhibition Building . It is now located further north-east. Prior to Adelaide Oval eastern stand developments,
400-595: Was one of few major exhibitions in Australia where all the costs, totalling £66,000, were covered. The Jubilee Exhibition Building and Jubilee Oval was the home of the Royal Adelaide Show from 1895 to 1925. The building and grounds have been used for a variety of events and purposes, including: The building was demolished in 1962, making way for the Napier Building , part of the University of Adelaide . Creswell Gardens The Creswell Gardens are located in
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