The park was acquired by the adjacent Adelaide Botanic Garden in 1866,[1] and was formerly used as the venue for the Royal Adelaide Show from 1844 to 1859. On its northern side are an avenue of plane trees planted in 1874.[1] It is also dotted with exotic species such as century-old Moreton Bay figs from Queensland.[1] The park was the venue for the first open-air meeting in Australia of the Salvation Army on 5 September 1880.[1][2]
The park has been compared to Hyde Park in London.[citation needed] With its own Speakers' Corner since the 1890s, Botanic Park is a venue for public debate on a wide range of topics.[2] The Speakers' Corner continues, but with less prominence than in previous times. Today, the park is better known as a site for picnics, wedding-party photographs, and major events such as WOMADelaide, Gardens Alive and Moonlight Cinema.
