It is an outrage if the Biccentennial conservatory is switched off.
Nevertheless, the fact that only 35 000 people visit it per year, is a sad indictment on how crap our tourism promotion infraestructure is. Just pick up the 'Adelaide' guide to see how bad it really is. No wonder people think there is nothing to do here.
For example the listing for the Botanic Gardens is so lame, that it makes it seem as though it is just a pleasant grassed area with some flowers. It only makes passing references to the Biccenteneial Conservatory, the Museum of Economic Botany and no mention of the new Amazon waterlilly pavillion, or the 19th century glasshouse.
Tourists, need to be told what to see! as by definition, they are not locals, and hence don't know what to do. That is the role of tourism brochures.
The Biccentenial Conservatory would not be in trouble if it was promoted adequately! Come on, make people want to visit the place!
From the Messenger:
Meeting on the future of the Botanic Gardens
Local News7 Feb 12 @ 09:00am
Friends of the Botanic Gardens president Helena Jenkinson is upset at plans to switch off heating this year in the tropical Bicentennial Conservatory due to budget cuts. Picture: Calum Robertson.
A public meeting will be held tonight (Tuesday, February 7) to discuss plans to cut costs at the Bicentennial Conservatory.
The Friends of the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide will meet with Botanic Gardens executive director Stephen Forbes to talk about the future of the conservatory.
It was last month revealed the conservatory would cease operating as a glasshouse for tropical rainforest plants because the garden had decided to stop paying its $72,000 annual heating bill.
The meeting will be held at the Noel Lothian Hall, off Hackney Rd behind the herbarium, at 7.45pm.
The conservatory, which was built in 1989, attracts about 35,000 visitors a year
