mid nineteenth century

Knot

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

Lord Florey bust

Adelaide-born Lord Florey won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945 for his part in making the infection-fighting penicillin available

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1920s, 1940s, 1960s

Image: A photographic portrait of a moustachioed middle-aged Caucasian man wearing wire-rimmed spectacles and a mid-20th century suit and tie

Scammell, Mr. Luther

Manufacturing chemist Luther Scammell prepared compounds, saved a struggling business, and coined the name ‘Solyptol’.

Historical Person | By Peter Donovan | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

Deeply affected by the isolation and loneliness of her early married life, Mary Jane Warnes strived to improve conditions for her fellow countrywomen by founding the South Australian Country Women’s Association.

Historical Person | By Nancy Robinson Flannery | North Terrace | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Image: A portrait of a young woman wearing a nun’s habit. She is holding a bible and a crucifix

MacKillop, Mary

An educationist and co-founder of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Mary MacKillop is now famous as Australia’s only Catholic saint.

Historical Person | By Sister Marie Foale | Central Market, North Terrace | 1900-1910, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Image: sculpture of standing man in nineteenth century costume

Matthew Flinders Memorial

A statue to honour Matthew Flinders, the first explorer to circumnavigate Australia, was a long time coming in Adelaide

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1790s, 1800-1810, 1840s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s

Mills, Ms. May

Educationist and sports administrator May Mills believed 'the wholesome development of a nation' depended on sport.

Historical Person | By Dr Helen Jones | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Methodist Church

Several of the brands of Methodism introduced to colonial South Australia merged in 1977 to become the Uniting Church.

Historical Organisation | By Arnold D Hunt | Hindley Street | 1830s, 1840s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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

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

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

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

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

Image: two smiling caucasian women writing at a main desk in library

Public Libraries

South Australia was unique among the Australian colonies in that the South Australian Literary and Scientific Association assembled a subscription library before the settlers left Britain.

Historical Place | By Carl Bridge and Michael Talbot | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Reclining Connected Forms

This 1969 bronze sculpture is one of the few pieces by the renowned British artist to be found in Australia.

Historical Thing | By Catherine Barron, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1960s, late twentieth century

Rhythms of Construction

‘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

Image: A photographic portrait of an elderly Caucasian man with a white goatee. He is wearing a Stetson hat and a dark-coloured overcoat

Smith, Mr. Richard

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

Image: A painted portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a mid-19th century coat and bowtie. Three medals are pinned to the left breast of his coat

Schomburgk, Dr. Richard

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

Image: An elderly man with a cane sits in a chair within a garden

Smith, Robert

Robert Barr Smith had a genius for business. He was also a generous philanthropist, though his modesty dictated that much of the funding was dispensed anonymously.

Historical Person | By Pamela Oborn | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Robert Burns Memorial

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

Sharpe, Mr. Ronald

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

Image: Man in white makeup and black beard smiles widely

Rene, Roy

Roy Rene, known most prominently for his character of Mo McCackie, has been generally hailed as one of Australia’s best comic performers.

Historical Person | By Alexander Parsons, History Trust of South Australia | Hindley Street | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

Image: Black and white photograph of a man seated backwards on chair with arms crossed on seat back and an open book on the table beside him

Gill, Samuel Thomas

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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young, clean-shaven Caucasian man wearing an early-20th century suit and wire-rimmed spectacles

Price, Sir Archibald

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

Bronze bust of Douglas Mawson by Adelaide sculptor John Dowie, 1981

Sir Douglas Mawson bust

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

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man wearing a late-Victorian era suit and sporting a very large handlebar moustache

Stirling, Sir Edward

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

Kingston, Sir George

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

Ayers, Sir Henry

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

Image: Pencil sketch of the upper torso of an elderly man wearing a suit and academic robes

Newland, Sir Henry

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

Cleland, Sir John

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

Adelaidia