Bicentennial Conservatory
As part of Adelaide's celebration of the Australian Bicentenary the conservatory was constructed in 1987 and opened in late 1989. The building was designed by local architect Guy Maron and has won awards for its design, engineering and landscaping. It is 100 metres (328 ft) long, 47 metres (154 ft) wide and 27 metres (89 ft) high making it the largest single span conservatory in the southern hemisphere. The conservatory houses at risk or endangered tropical rainforest plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and south Pacific Islands. However in early 2012 a controversial decision was announced, to remove tropical plants from the Conservatory due to rising power costs.
In April 2012 the entry fee to the conservatory was abolished and visitor numbers are expected to increase, despite rising energy costs and budget cuts resulting in the building no longer being heated.
Read more about this topic: Adelaide Botanic Garden