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Richard Bowyer Smith and his brother Clarence could both rightfully claim distinction as the inventors of the stump-jump plough.
Historical Person | By Ros Paterson | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s
A botanist, horticulturist and the director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, Richard Schomburgk was honoured locally as 'the people’s pet'.
Historical Person | By Dr Pauline Payne | North Terrace, Parklands | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
The River Torrens has dominated the development of Adelaide and its metropolis, often in subtle or little recognised ways
Historical Place | By CR Twidale, University of Adelaide | River Torrens | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
An outstanding baseballer and baseball writer, Ron Sharpe was also no slouch as a cricketer.
Historical Person | By Prof John Daly | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
The life size sculpture of Roy 'Mo' Rene on Hindley Street invites intimacy with his casual pose and expression of comic amusement.
Historical Thing | By Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | Hindley Street | 2010s
Artist Samuel Thomas Gill produced a lively visual record of early South Australia.
Historical Person | By Jane Hylton | Hindley Street, North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s
The iconic figure of of 'Simpson and his Donkey' looks over War Memorial Drive from the Angas Garden.
Historical Thing | By Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 2010s
Working with this vivacious geographer, historian and educationist was said to be 'like hanging on the tail of a comet'.
Historical Person | By Betty Lewis | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
Sir Charles Todd was a leader in the fields of meteorology, astronomy and communications, and is best remembered for masterminding the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.
Historical Person | By John Jenkin | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910
The spirit of Antarctic explorer and professor of geology, Sir Douglas Mawson, is captured in the bust by John Dowie
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1880s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1980s
Sir Edward Stirling was (among other things) a surgeon, scientist, educationist, curator, lecturer and parliamentarian; in short, a Renaissance Man.
Historical Person | By Anna Stirling Pope | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s
Sir Edwin Thomas Smith was a brewer, parliamentarian and, thanks to his philanthropy, Adelaide’s favourite millionaire.
Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s
A wealthy businessman and quiet philanthropist, Sir George Brookman was a conservative who was described as ‘hard but fair’ by one of his descendants.
Historical Person | By Ron Gibbs | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s
By turns architect, engineer, surveyor and parliamentarian, Sir George Kingston was also Speaker of the House of Assembly for almost two decades.
Historical Person | By Dr Simon Cameron | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s
A businessman, banker and parliamentarian, Henry Ayers was astute, hard-headed and politically adroit.
Historical Person | By Robyn Taylor | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
Sir Henry Newland gained an international reputation as a pioneer plastic surgeon.
Historical Person | By Ian L.D. Forbes | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s
Pathologist, naturalist and ardent conservationist, Professor Cleland, as he preferred to be known, contributed across many fields.
Historical Person | By Dr Jane Southcott | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
Pastoralist and philanthropist Sir John Melrose continued to work with stock and managed properties – despite going blind.
Historical Person | By Rob Linn | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s
Sir Langdon Bonython was a progressive liberal whose long life encompassed being a parliamentarian, newspaper proprietor and philanthropist.
Historical Person | By Warren Bonython | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s
The bust of Sir Lawrence Bragg commemorates a South Australian Nobel Laureate
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1970s, 2000-2010, 2010s
The bust of Sir Mark Oliphant on North Terrace honours an eminent scientist and the state’s first South Australian-born governor.
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, Second World War
Sir Mellis Napier was a Chief Justice of South Australia, and arguably a reactionary one.
Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s
An influential conservative politician and a supporter of Federation, Sir Richard Baker was the first President of the Senate.
Historical Person | By Rob van den Hoorn | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
Sir Robert Chapman was an engineer with a gift for recognising the fundamentals of any problem.
Historical Person | By Philip Fargher | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s
Land titles reformer Sir Robert Richard Torrens reformed, amended and even radicalised the land trade system.
Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s
A Chief Justice of South Australia, Sir Samuel Way was polished, cultured and proud.
A statue of Sir Samuel Way reflects his towering presence in legal, political and cultural circles in the last decades of the nineteenth century.
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s
A pastoralist, philanthropist and businessman, Elder supported numerous outback expeditions and Adelaide institutions.
Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace, Parklands | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s
The sculpture of Elder is at the University of Adelaide, a major beneficiary of his philanthropy
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1890s, 1900-1910
Premier for 26 years, Playford managed the industrialisation of South Australia while maintaining a conservative social agenda.
Historical Person | By Gaye Brown | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s
Discover the people who have shaped Adelaide
Explore the city's built environment and famous Parklands
Find the stories behind the city's public artworks, monuments and memorials
Browse some of the themes that contextualise the city's history
Learn about the organisations that have made the city tick
Find out what's drawn people into the city's streets
Explore some of the early maps, plans and panoramas that trace the development of the city
Discover the city's history through a rich collection of museum objects
Explore Adelaide by following a themed tour
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