The Migration Museum works towards the preservation, understanding and enjoyment of South Australia’s diverse cultures. It is a place to discover the many identities of the people of South Australia through the stories of individuals and communities.

In 1992 the Migration Museum published From Many Places. It has since undergone revision. The listings here have been compiled from ABS statistics, local community organisations and relevant historical sources. It is an evolving and ongoing project. 

  1. Image: a two storey gothic style building with arched church style windows and an arched portico protruding from the front, providing a balcony above. A thin spire rises from the centre of the cross gable roof.

    Mitchell Building

    The 'University Building' has served many functions since it opened in 1882

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1960s, 1970s

  2. Image: a statue of a man holding a map stands on a plinth on a hill surrounded by formal gardens and overlooking a city

    Montefiore Hill

    Montefiore Hill, overlooking the city planned by Colonel William Light, was named after South Australian Colonization Commissioner Jacob Montefiore

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1830s, 1840s, 1880s, 1930s

  3. Baby Evangeline Gabriel being being weighed by a nurse 1908

    Mothers' and Babies' Health Association

    Could the problem of infant mortality be dealt with by giving expert advice to mothers? The Mothers’ and Babies’ Health Association certainly thought so.

    Historical Organisation | By Judith Raftery | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  4. McLeod, Mr. Murdoch

    A very industrious and conservative businessman, Murdoch McLeod was generous but modest and never flamboyant. 

    Historical Person | By Knoyle Cross | Central Market | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  5. National Council of Women of South Australia

    The National Council of Women of South Australia argued for pensions for widows with children, raising the marriage age for girls from 12 and other reforms.

    Historical Organisation | By Pat Stretton | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  6. Image: Colour photo of the National Trust logo

    National Trust of South Australia

    With 50 branches, 138 properties and 4500 members, the National Trust of South Australia is the largest historical organisation in the state.

    Historical Organisation | By Kerrie Round | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  7. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Nepalese in South Australia

    The majority of Nepalese-born South Australians are Hindus, with the remainder mainly affiliated with Buddhism. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  8. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    New Zealanders in South Australia

    New Zealanders of European descent have migrated to Australia since the second half of the nineteenth century

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  9. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Nicaraguans in South Australia

    It is unclear when the first Nicaraguans came to South Australia, but political turmoil has provided Nicaraguans with reason to emigrate.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  10. Image: A large group of Caucasian men and women in early Edwardian attire pose for a photograph in front of a large stone building. They are flanked by an Australian flag and British Union Jack

    Tindale, Dr. Norman

    Norman Tindale was a prodigious anthropologist and polymath who chronicled aboriginal culture, studied butterflies and moths, and broke Japanese wartime codes. 

    Historical Person | By Philip Jones | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  11. Jolly, Mr. Norman

    A forestry scientist by profession, Norman Jolly was also an accomplished scholar known for his integrity and keen critical faculty.

    Historical Person | By Dr David Jones | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  12. Image: A large, five storey, brick and stone building with a central tower, bay windows, crenellated parapet and pitched iron roof. The dome of the exhibition building can be seen behind.

    North Terrace East

    North Terrace east is Adelaide’s premier cultural boulevard

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  13. Image: a series of three storey buildings line one side of a wide city street. Between the buildings and the road is a line of trees. Travelling along the street are horse-drawn vehicles, motor cars and an electric tram, as well as people in 1920s clothes

    North Terrace West

    Stretching from Adelaide’s first survey point to Parliament House, the character of this part of North Terrace continues to evolve

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, early twenty–first century

  14. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Norwegians in South Australia

    The number of Norwegian South Australians peaked by 1966, when there were 303.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  15. Image: woman in nursing uniform working

    Nursing

    On-the-job experience was the only training for the earliest nurses, but the profession is now part of the higher education sector

    Historical Subject | By Joan Durdin | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  16. Image: leather bench seats sit behind desks facing inwards and arranged along the walls of a large room which is decorated with large portraits. At the far end of the room is a more ornate desk with three individual seats.

    Old Parliament House

    The site of countless debates, Old Parliament House dates from 1855

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  17. Image: caucasian man sitting in an armchair tells a story

    Oral History 

    There’s a lot to talk about with history – while history doesn’t stop being made it, record it while you can

    Historical Subject | By Beth M Robertson | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, Great Depression, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century, Second World War

  18. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Pakistanis in South Australia

    Many of the ‘Afghan’ cameleers who came to South Australia during the nineteenth century were actually from the regions of present-day Pakistan.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  19. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Palestinians in South Australia

    Much of the migration of Palestinians to Australia has occurred after major conflicts that displaced Palestinian people from their homes. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  20. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Papua New Guineans in South Australia

    Melanesian Papua New Guineans first settled in Australia during the nineteenth century

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  21. Parliament House exterior

    Parliament House

    The scene of pomp and ceremony, debates and demonstrations

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1930s, 1950s

  22. Image: wine barrels in cellar

    Penfolds

    From medicinal benefits to international stature, some of Dr Penfold’s wines have acquired legendary status.

    Historical Organisation | By Anne Burrows | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  23. Begg, Prof. Percy

    The pioneer of improved orthodontic treatments which are now standard worldwide

    Historical Person | By Donald Simpson and Geoffrey Brown | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  24. Begg, Percy

    Literally born in a tent, Percy Begg became a pioneer orthodontist whose innovations benefit patients to this day.

    Historical Person | By Dr John Jenner | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  25. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Peruvians in South Australia

    In the late 1960s and early 1970s the Australian government actively recruited single Peruvians through that country’s newspapers, and offered assisted immigration to suitable applicants

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  26. Nelson, Mr. Peter

    A resolute cyclist, Peter Nelson was married to Marjorie Jackson Nelson and died of leukaemia at a young age.

    Historical Person | By Prof John Daly | 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  27. Image: A middle-aged, clean-shaven man in a suit poses for a full-length photographic portrait. An autograph on the photo reads ‘Best Wishes to Keith Wingrove from Peter Dawson, May 20th 1933, Brisbane’

    Dawson, Mr. Peter

    A singer of both bush ballads and classics, Dawson was the first to record ‘Waltzing Matilda’.

    Historical Person | By Joyce Gibberd | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  28. Philanthropy

    ‘South Australia’, wrote the early twentieth-century author of The Cyclopedia of South Australia, ‘owes its existence to a movement which had its origins in philanthropy’. 

    Historical Subject | By Rob Linn | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  29. Image: a corrugated iron workshop with a gable roof and a central doorway flanked by a single window on either side. Next door is a small cottage with a verandah and central chimney.

    Pirie Street

    Pirie Street has been home to cottages, churches, commerce and clubs

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  30. Image: Black and white portrait photograph of the upper body of a man dressed in formal attire

    Playford Family

    A Baptist minister and Waterloo veteran with a dragoon’s pension, South Australia’s first Thomas Playford arrived in 1844 to claim an inherited original town acre. Thomas’s eldest son, Thomas Playford (1837–1915), was a successful orchardist at Drysdale, Norton Summit, in the Adelaide Hills. Thomas’s grandson, Tom Playford (1896–1981), also went into parliament, becoming Australia’s longest-serving premier.

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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