Jump to navigation
Paradoxically, the only parts of South Australia to experience occasional serious disruption of by flooding are the far distant sparsely populated deserts around Lake Eyre
Historical Subject | By CR Twidale, University of Adelaide | River Torrens | 1840s, 1860s, 1870s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 2010s
Originally painted by Carol Ruff and Barbary O'Brien in 1984 and modified by Driller Jet Armstrong in 1998.
Historical Thing | By Hannah Stewart, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Street east | 1980s, 1990s
Her Majesty’s Theatre and the Central Market continue to attract people to Grote Street
Historical Place | By Margaret Anderson and Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Central Market | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
In 1910 thousands of people lined the Torrens to see the carnival of lavishly decorated boats in the first Henley-on-Torrens Regatta
Historical Event | By Corinne Ball, Migration Museum | Parklands, River Torrens | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
An eclectic mix since foundation, Hindley Street has seen it all
Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Hindley Street | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Holy Trinity Church is the earliest surviving Anglican Church building in South Australia, and one of Adelaide’s oldest standing structures.
Historical Place | By James Hunter, 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
The oldest of North Terrace’s cultural buildings
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
Ivor Henry Thomas Hele was an official war artist in North Africa, New Guinea and Korea; possibly Australia’s most important war artist.
Historical Person | By Carol Fort | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s
Jennifer Cashmore was a trailblazer in South Australian politics.
Historical Person | By Amy Morrison & Larrie Strautmanis | 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s, 2020s
Jessie Mary Cooper was the first woman elected to South Australia’s parliament.
Historical Person | By Dr Helen Jones | 1850s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s
The John Jefferson Bray Memorial Fountain commemorates the life of a senior judge, scholar and poet
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Southeast corner | 1910s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1990s
Celebration, commemoration and protest happen amid the grand buildings that line Adelaide's main thoroughfare
Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
The shining steel and simple form of Knot typifies the work of sculptor Herbert (Bert) Flugelman.
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
A phenomenally successful athlete, Marjorie Jackson Nelson went on to become a governor of South Australia
Historical Person | By Prof John Daly | North Terrace | 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Adelaide’s longest running gay venue, located at 120 Gouger Street and known, until recently, as the Mars Bar, first opened in December 1976.
Historical Place | By Nikki Sullivan, Migration Museum | Southwest corner | 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s, mid twentieth century
‘My aim is to leave the world better for women’ – Mary Lee was an activist, suffragist and unionist
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1990s
Opened in 1986 the Migration Museum in Adelaide was a world first.
Historical Place | By Catherine Manning, Migration Museum | North Terrace | 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Mike Maka’s mural features a tired rhinocerous carrying the city of Adelaide on its back.
Historical Thing | By Hannah Stewart, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Street east | 2010s
Narisha Cash's mural acknowledges and celebrates the Kaurna people as the traditional owners and custodians of Adelaide and the Adelaide plains.
Historical Thing | By Catherine Barron, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 2010s, Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early twenty–first century
North Terrace east is Adelaide’s premier cultural boulevard
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
The site of countless debates, Old Parliament House dates from 1855
Michelle Nikou's bronze sculpture stands in almost comic contrast with the plinths that populate North Terrace further west.
Historical Thing | By Catherine Barron, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 2010s, early twenty–first century
'Popeye the Sailor' was a popular cartoon at the cinema in the 1930s when Gordon Watts introduced a tourist pleasure craft on the River Torrens
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | River Torrens | 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010
The Presbyterian Church has a long history in South Australia, owing much to the early Scotish community.
Historical Organisation | By John Love | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
Designed in 1892, Queen’s School became one of South Australia’s leading private schools.
Historical Place | By Cindy Crook, History Trust of South Australia | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s
In general refugees have enriched and diversified South Australia’s religions, universities and schools, food, the arts, newspapers, clubs and sports.
Historical Subject | By Kate Walsh | 1830s, 1840s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, mid twentieth century
‘Construction’, ‘Thought’ and ‘Optimism’ make up the three elements of this bronze sculpture by Victor Meertens.
Historical Thing | By Catherine Barron, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1990s, late twentieth century
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
One of many around the world, this statue of Scottish poet Robert Burns was unveiled in 1894
Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1880s, 1890s, 1930s, 1940s, 1990s
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
Share your memories, stories and pictures with the Adelaidia community