mid nineteenth century

James, Mr. Jimmy

A masterly Aboriginal police tracker, James saved lives, gathered evidence and attained legendary status.

Historical Person | By Robert Holmes | North Terrace | 1970s, 1980s, mid twentieth century

Image: An obituary notice featuring a photographic portrait of a moustachioed middle-aged man wearing wire-rimmed spectacles

Hartley, Mr. John

Though stern and strict, educationist (and first Inspector-General of Schools) John Anderson Hartley favoured progressive and innovative ideas.

Historical Person | By Anna Stirling Pope | North Terrace, Parklands | late nineteenth century

Bishop, John

Instigator and first Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival, John Bishop was a musician, teacher and visionary.

Historical Person | By Jo Peoples | North Terrace | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young man wearing a suit and wire-rimmed spectacles

Flynn, Mr. John

Founder of the Australian Inland Mission and Royal Flying Doctor Service, Flynn was a practical and restless innovator.

Historical Person | By Ron White | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged woman in Victorian attire

Farr, Mrs. Julia

The plight of the girls in the Destitute Asylum spurred on social worker Julia Farr.

Historical Person | By Joan Clift | North Terrace, Parklands | late nineteenth century, 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

Image: stone fountain shaped like bathtub in front of stone buildings

Lavington Bonython fountain

Affectionately known as the ‘Bonython bath’, this fountain stood outside the South Australian Museum from 1965 to 2005

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

Light Horse Memorial

Remembering South Australian Light Horsemen who served in Egypt and Palestine and at Gallipoli

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton & Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, Boer War, early twenty–first century

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 painted portrait of a middle-aged man sitting in a chair in front of a large bookcase. He is wearing wire-rimmed spectacles, a suit and tie, and academic gown

Florey, Sir Howard

Hundreds of millions of people have lived longer and healthier lives, thanks to medical scientist, Nobel Prize winner and penicillin pioneer Lord Florey.

Historical Person | By Pat Stretton | North Terrace | early twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A black and white image of Margaret Graham

Graham, Ms. Margaret

Margaret Graham was an outspoken and forthright nursing sister and army matron with a strong sense of justice.

Historical Person | By Joan Durdin | North Terrace | 1890s, early twentieth century

Jackson Nelson, Ms. Marjorie

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

Image: bench top covered in large number of bottles of alcohol

Mars Bar

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

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

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

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

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

Image: Narisha Cash's Ngadlu Padninthi Kamanka mural (2017)

Ngadlu Padninthi Kamangka (We Walk Together) mural

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

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

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

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

Crumpled bronze bag on plinth with grass and plants nearby

Paper Bag

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

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: 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

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