Adelaide Glaciarium facts for kids
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Ice Palace Skating Rink
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The entrance tower as seen in 1928 from Hindley Street Adelaide SA.
State Library of South Australia B 4785 |
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| Location | 91 Hindley Street, Adelaide, 5000 |
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| Capacity | 580 |
| Surface | 35.05 metres (115 ft) × 25.6 metres (84 ft) |
| Opened | 6 September 1904 |
The Adelaide Glaciarium was Australia's very first indoor ice-skating rink! It was also known as the Ice Palace Skating Rink. Located in Adelaide, South Australia, this special place was where the first "hockey on the ice" game in Australia happened. This game was like roller polo, but played on ice with ice skates. While it wasn't exactly the same as modern ice hockey, the Glaciarium was an important testing ground for the Melbourne Glaciarium, which is where Australian ice hockey truly began.
Contents
A Look Back: The Glaciarium's History
The building where the Glaciarium was located has a long and interesting past. It was built on a piece of land in Adelaide that was first bought by an early settler named John Barton Hack way back in 1837. Later, in 1890, a man named William McLean built two main parts on this land: the Grand Coffee Palace and the Cyclorama buildings. The architects who designed these buildings were English & Soward, and the whole project cost about £5000.
What Was the Cyclorama?
The original building, at 89 Hindley Street, first opened to the public on Friday, 28 November 1890, as a Cyclorama. A cyclorama was a special type of building designed to show huge, circular paintings that made you feel like you were right in the middle of the scene! People sometimes also called this building the Trocadero.
Building Design
The Cyclorama building had a few cool parts:
- Tower Entrance: This was a two-story building facing Hindley Street with a tall, fancy dome. It was about 23 metres (75 feet) high! Visitors would walk through a big iron gate under the dome to get inside. There was even a room under the dome where a camera obscura (a device that projects an image) showed a reflection of the surrounding area on the wall.
- Vestibule: After the tower, there was a long hallway, about 29 metres (95 feet) long and 4 metres (14 feet) wide. This hallway connected the front tower to the main Cyclorama building at the back. It had electric lights and waiting rooms for visitors.
- Main Building: This was the biggest part, made of brick, about 40 metres (130 feet) long and 35 metres (115 feet) wide, and 14 metres (47 feet) tall. It had a special roof, half glass to let in sunlight and half iron. Inside, there was a raised platform in the middle with spiral stairs. From here, visitors could look at the giant circular paintings.
Tickets and Times
The Cyclorama was open every day for visitors:
- 10:00am to 5:00pm
- 7:00pm to 10:00pm
They also had special talks about the exhibits:
- 11:30am
- 3:00pm
- 8:00pm
General admission prices were:
- Adults – 9 Shillings
- Children – 1 Shilling
What Was on Display?
The very first painting shown at the Adelaide Cyclorama was a picture of Jerusalem called Jerusalem at the Time of the Crucifixion. There was a bit of a disagreement later on, as some people claimed this painting was a copy of a famous artwork by Bruno Piglhein.
The Trocadero Fire
Sadly, on Saturday, 11 March 1899, around 2:40 AM, a police officer on patrol saw fire coming from the Cyclorama building. He quickly called the fire brigade. The fire spread fast, and by 4:00 AM, the building was a smoldering ruin. Luckily, the caretaker and another person living there managed to get out safely. The fire destroyed the entire building, including valuable paintings like one of the Battle of Waterloo and another of the Crimea War.
From Cyclorama to Glaciarium
After the fire, the Cyclorama building was bought and completely changed. On Tuesday, 6 September 1904, it reopened as the Glaciarium, a brand new ice-skating rink! The building was 40 metres (130 feet) long and 35 metres (115 feet) wide, with an ice surface that was 47 metres (155 feet) long and 25 metres (84 feet) wide. It could seat 580 guests.
The Glaciarium often advertised its events in The Advertiser newspaper, usually in the "Amusements" section, alongside theaters and roller skating rinks. They had similar fun events, like fancy dress carnivals. The "hockey on the ice" games were never listed in the "Sports" section.
The Glaciarium would close for the hot summer months and then reopen for the cooler skating season. For example, it reopened on 2 March 1905, with a special skating show by Professor Brewer. The 1905 season ended on 14 October 1905.
Prices and Session Times
You could go ice skating at the Glaciarium during three sessions each day:
- Morning Session: 10:00am to 12:00noon
- Afternoon Session: 3:00pm to 5:00pm
- Evening Session: 7:30pm to 10:00pm
The prices changed depending on the time of day:
- Morning Session: Adults 1 shilling, Children 6 pence
- Afternoon Session: Adults 1 Shilling, Children 6 pence
- Evening Session: Adults 1 Shilling, Children 1 Shilling
If you didn't have your own skates, you could rent them for 1 shilling.
Fun Events at the Glaciarium
Besides regular skating, the Glaciarium hosted many exciting events:
- Carnivals: Fancy dress carnivals were very popular! People would dress up in amazing costumes, and awards were given for categories like "Best Costume" or "Most Original Costume."
- Skating Shows: Professor James Brewer, a famous skater, would often put on amazing shows, demonstrating fast skating and fancy moves.
- Sporting Races: They even held races on the ice, like Quarter-mile Hurdle Races and Half-mile Scratch Races.
- Basketball on Ice: On 21 July 1905, they even tried playing basketball on ice for the first time, which must have been quite funny to watch!
Hockey on the Ice
The "hockey on the ice" played at the Adelaide Glaciarium was a bit different from the ice hockey we know today. It was actually an adaptation of roller polo, a popular sport played on roller skates. Players used hooked sticks to hit a ball (not a puck!) while on ice skates. Each team had 6 players.
The Very First Game
The first "hockey on the ice" game ever played in Australia happened at the Glaciarium on 12 October 1904, during a carnival. It was a match between a "Rink" team and a "Scratch" team (made up of visitors). A reporter described it as being like "football on ice skates"! The game was part of a fun evening where everyone was in costume.
The game had four quarters. The Scratch Team scored two goals in the first quarter. In the last quarter, the Rink team scored two goals, making the game a 2-2 draw!
Here were the teams:
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Rink
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Scratch Team
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Early Matches
The game played at the Glaciarium was a form of "ice polo," which was common in some parts of the world. It used a ball and sticks, similar to roller polo. Modern ice hockey, with its specific rules and a puck, was developing in Canada around the same time.
The first "hockey on the ice" match between teams from local businesses was on 15 May 1905. It was between G. & R. Wills & Co. and D. & W. Murray, Limited.
Early Hockey on the Ice Game Results
| Rink vs Scratch/Adelaide Team Hockey on the Ice Games | ||||||
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| Date | Team 1 | Goals | Points | Team 2 | Goals | Points |
| 12 October 1904 | Rink | 2 | 0 | Scratch Team | 2 | 0 |
| 15 October 1904 | Rink | N/A | N/A | Scratch Team | N/A | N/A |
| 22 March 1905 | Rink | N/A | N/A | Adelaide Team | N/A | N/A |
| 29 March 1905 | Rink | N/A | N/A | Adelaide Team | N/A | N/A |
| 5 April 1905 | Rink | 1 | N/A | Adelaide Team | 1 | N/A |
| 17 April 1905 | Rink | N/A | N/A | Adelaide Team | N/A | N/A |
| 28 April 1905 | North Adelaide Team | 1 | 0 | South Adelaide Team | 2 | 0 |
| 1 May 1905 | North Adelaide Team | N/A | N/A | South Adelaide Team | N/A | N/A |
| 15 May 1905 | G. & R Wills & Co. | N/A | N/A | D. & W. Murray, Limited | N/A | N/A |
Warehouseman's Association Hockey
On 24 May 1905, a new series of "hockey on the ice" matches began, organized by the Warehouseman's Association. These games were played between teams made up of employees from different local companies. Six teams were part of this association, each with six players:
- G. & R. Wills & Co.
- James Marshall & Co.
- Harris, Scarfe & Co.
- Clutterbuck Brothers
- D. & W. Murray Limited
- Goode, Durrant & Co.
On 5 July 1905, a special "Hockey on the Ice" match was played between teams representing Australia and England! The players were:
- Australia: Parker, Clutterbuck, Hosking, Nightingale, Butler, Part
- England: Swanson, Barker, Poole, Knight, Watts, Osendale
The championship game for the Warehouseman's Association was held on 12 August 1905. Harris, Scarfe & Co. won the match and each of their six players received a gold medal!
Warehouseman's Association Game Results (1905)
| Warehouseman's Association Hockey on the Ice Games in 1905 | |||||||
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| Date | Team 1 | Goals | Points | Team 2 | Goals | Points | |
| 24 May 1905 | G. & R. Wills & Co. | 2 | 5 | James Marshall & Co. | 1 | 3 | |
| 26 May 1905 | D. & W. Murray, Limited | 2 | 4 | Goode, Durrant & Co. | 0 | 1 | |
| 2 June 1905 | D. & W. Murray, Limited | 7 | 1 | James Marshall & Co. | 1 | 3 | |
| 9 June 1905 | Clutterbuck Brothers | 2 | 3 | G. & R. Wills & Co. | 2 | 0 | |
| 12 June 1905 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 3 | 1 | Goode, Durrant & Co. | 2 | 1 | |
| 19 June 1905 | D. & W. Murray, Limited | 4 | 1 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 0 | 1 | |
| 23 June 1905 | Goode, Durrant & Co. | 1 | 3 | G. & R. Wills | 1 | 2 | |
| 26 June 1905 | D. & W. Murray, Limited | Clutterbuck Brothers | |||||
| 30 June 1905 | James Marshall & Co. | 1 | 1 | Good, Durrant & Co. | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 July 1905 | G. & R. Wills & Co. | 0 | 0 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 4 | 0 | |
| 10 July 1905 | G. & R. Wills & Co. | D. & W. Murray, Limited | |||||
| 24 July 1905 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 2 | 0 | Clutterbuck Brothers | 1 | 0 | |
| 28 July 1905 | Goode, Durrant, & Co. | 2 | 0 | D. & W. Murrays, Limited | 2 | 3 | |
| 5 August 1905 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 4 | 1 | D. & W. Murray, Limited | 1 | 3 | |
| 12 August 1905 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 1 | 0 | Clutterbuck Brothers | 0 | 0 | Premiership gold medal game |
| 26 August 1905 | Harris, Scarfe, & Co. | 2 | 2 | Association Team | 1 | 0 | Exhibition Challenge |
Exhibition Game Results (1905)
| Exhibition Hockey on the Ice Games in 1905 | |||||||
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| Date | Team 1 | Goals | Points | Team 2 | Goals | Points | |
| 3 June 1905 | St. Peters College | 2 | 0 | Prince Alfred College | 2 | 0 | |
| 10 June 1905 | St. Peters College | 7 | 1 | Prince Alfred College | 0 | 2 | |
| 17 June 1905 | Rink | N/A | N/A | Officers of the S.M.S. Panther | N/A | N/A | |
| 1 July 1905 | Prince Alfred College | 1 | 0 | Muirden College | 1 | 3 | |
| 5 July 1905 | Australia | 4 | 2 | England | 3 | 1 | |
| 8 July 1905 | Red & White Team | 2 | 3 | Blue & White Team | 1 | 1 | |
| 15 July 1905 | Professor Brewer's Team | 1 | 1 | Professor Caldwell's Team | 3 | 1 | |
| 22 July 1905 | Prince Alfred College | 0 | 1 | St. Peters College | 5 | 2 | |
| 19 August 1905 | Professor Brewer's Team | 1 | 0 | Professor Caldwell's Team | 2 | 0 | |
| 1 September 1905 | Professor Brewer's Team | 4 | 0 | Professor Caldwell's Team | 5 | 0 | |
Warehouseman's Association Game Results (1906)
| Warehouseman's Association Hockey on the Ice Games in 1906 | |||||||
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| Date | Team 1 | Goals | Points | Team 2 | Goals | Points | |
| 19 May 1905 | Caldwell | 0 | 1 | Brewer | 1 | 0 | |
| 31 May 1906 | Clutterbuck Brothers | 4 | Harris, Scarfe & Co. | 0 | |||
| 12 July 1906 | Elder, Smith & Co. | 1 | D. & W. Murray, Limited | 2 | |||
What Happened After the Glaciarium?
Olympia Roller Skating Rink
On 14 December 1907, the Glaciarium changed again! The ice was replaced with a surface for roller skating, and the building was renamed the Olympia Roller Skating Rink.
West's Pictures
The building was bought by T.J. West and opened on Saturday, 5 December 1908, as Adelaide's first permanent movie theater, called West's Pictures. They made the seating bigger, and on opening night, they showed scenic films and a detective story.
West's Theatre
A brand new West's Theatre opened on 1 December 1939. It was a beautiful building with a long carpeted lobby and a huge chandelier. It could hold 1,447 people! The last movie shown at West's Theatre before it closed on 28 February 1977, was Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
Other Uses
After West's Theatre closed, the building had a few different lives:
- In May 1978, it briefly became a Chinese restaurant called Jade Palace.
- In June 1979, it transformed into a popular disco nightclub called Sinatras, known for its mirrored tiles and disco balls.
- In October 1980, Greater Union Cinemas bought the building. Sadly, it was damaged by fire in November 1981.
- On 10 December 1982, it reopened as Hindley Cinemas 5 & 6, showing popular movies like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Both cinemas closed in April 1991.
- In 1994, it became the Meridian Time Zone nightclub, which closed in May 2001.
Grainger Studio
Finally, after being fixed up, the building reopened on 26 October 2001, as the Grainger Studio. Today, it is the home of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, a place where beautiful music is made!
Images for kids
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The entrance tower as seen in 1928 from Hindley Street Adelaide SA.
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28 November 1890 advertisement announcing the opening night of the Adelaide Cyclorama.
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1905 – Skaters in fancy dress at the Glaciarium.
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Taken at the Carnival 2 August 1905.
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Skaters on the ice during a carnival in the Glaciarium, May 1906.
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Advertisement for hockey on the ice, 4 August 1905.
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10 October 1904 ad referring to the "hockey match" as being polo.
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1908 – Costumed Skaters at the Carnival in the Olympic Roller Skating Rink.
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1936 – An interior view of the West's Olympia Theatre.
