Miss Siam

The Royal Guest of Frome Road: The Story of Miss Siam

When the Adelaide Zoological Gardens officially opened its gates on May 23, 1883, it transformed the city's relationship with the natural world. Prior to this, Adelaide's exotic animals and birds had been kept in modest enclosures at the nearby Botanic Gardens. However, the newly established zoo needed a grand symbol to capture the public's imagination.

Enter Miss Siam—the first elephant to ever grace the Adelaide Zoo.

A Generous Gift to the Colony
Miss Siam’s arrival was a monumental event for colonial South Australia, made possible by the philanthropy of Sir Thomas Elder. Elder, a wealthy pastoralist, politician, and the then-President of the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society, personally imported the young elephant as a gift to the citizens of Adelaide.

In an era when most locals had only ever seen sketches of such massive creatures in textbooks, Miss Siam was an instant sensation. For two decades, she reigned as the zoo’s undisputed star attraction, enchanting generations of children and Victorian-era visitors who flocked to Frome Road just to catch a glimpse of her.

A Lasting Legacy
Miss Siam spent her life at the zoo until her passing in 1904. Recognizing her immense historical and scientific value to the state, officials ensured her legacy wouldn't be forgotten.

Today, while her memory lives on in the archives of the Adelaide Zoo, her physical legacy remains just across the parklands. Her skeleton was meticulously preserved and is held by the South Australian Museum, serving as a profound link to the very beginnings of South Australia's zoological history.

From her long voyage from Asia to her enduring place in the state's scientific collections, Miss Siam remains a foundational icon of Adelaide's cultural heritage.

Rengith Mathew
Pooja Online Magazine (Desk)
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