mid nineteenth century

Adelaide City Council plaques

Adelaide City Council plaques promote the city’s heritage and some South Australian identities.

Historical Thing | By Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | Hindley Street, North Terrace | 1980s, early twenty–first century

Image: A large, two-storey building with a tall clock tower in one corner is brilliantly lit at night. A small number of people on the street below look at the building

Adelaide General Post Office

The classically styled freestone Adelaide General Post Office was constructed in the late nineteenth century and housed both the post and telegraph offices which connected Australia with the world

Historical Place | By Dr Julie Collins, University of South Australia | Northwest corner | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Image: The front of a large stone building with six columns flanking the entrance. A fountain and benches are arranged along stone sidewalks in front of the building

Art Gallery of South Australia

The classical building of the Art Gallery of South Australia, with its gracious colonnaded portico, is one of the cultural landmarks on North Terrace.

Historical Place | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Ayers House

Acquired and extended on the back of copper mining from the mid 1840s, Ayers House has had three main occupancies since the early twentieth century

Historical Place | By Peter Bell | North Terrace | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: three cars parked outside stone church

Chalmers Church Free Church of Scotland

The second oldest remaining church in Adelaide, Scots Church is still in use today.

Historical Place | By Hannah Stewart, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, early twentieth century

Image: bronze statue of seated woman with books

Dame Roma Mitchell Statue

Dame Roma Mitchell is depicted surrounded by her books looking relaxed and at home on North Terrace.

Historical Thing | By Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1990s

Destitute Asylum

Relief for the poor, the pregnant and the unemployed was a theme from the colony’s commencement

Historical Place | By Mary-Louise Geyer | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1910s

Image: a herd of sheep graze under gum and pine trees

East Parklands

Despite an inauspicious start as a dumping ground for waste, the East Parklands gradually developed as an attractive centre for recreation in the city.

Historical Place | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | East Terrace, Rundle Street east, Southeast corner | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Image: A large building with a domed roof is lit up by hundreds of small globes running along its key architectural features, such as around windows and along roof lines.

Exhibition Building and Grounds

Now lost, the Exhibition Building once dominated North Terrace

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

Fish for the Slate Pool Walkway

Within Catherine Truman’s work, Fish for the Slate Pool Walkway, the tentative nature of life is captured brilliantly from the depths of Truman’s imagination.

Historical Thing | By Cindy Crook, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1990s

Image: Black and white photograph showing front of large, white two-storey building

Government House

One of Adelaide’s oldest buildings, Government House welcomes thousands of visitors each year

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

Image: a black and white copy of a watercolour painting which shows men, women and children in 1840s dress walking or riding in horse drawn carts towards a simple stone church with a single tower which is surrounded by cottages.

Holy Trinity Church

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

Image: view of trees surrounded by buildings

Located in the south-east of Adelaide on the Kaurna peoples land of Tandayangga (place of the Red Kangaroo Dreaming), Hurtle Square was one of the six squares designed by Colonel William Light in his 1837 plan of Adelaide.

Historical Place | By Owen Hems | Southeast corner | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Front of large, two-storey historic building with columns bordering its front door

Institute Building

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

John Jefferson Bray Memorial Fountain

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

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

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

Image: Crowd watching unveiling of monument

Light Square/ Wauwi

Originally intended as a recreational garden oasis from the surrounding city, Light Square, however, developed a reputation for prostitution, drinking and violence.

Historical Place | By Owen Hems | Northwest corner | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Mary Lee bust

‘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

Migration Museum

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

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, 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

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

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