1. Image: bronze sculpture of man and woman in uniform

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial

    Australia’s first memorial to recognise the service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was unveiled in Adelaide on 10 November 2013.

    Historical Thing | By Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | River Torrens | early twenty–first century

  2. Image: blue plaque with logo and text

    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

  3. Colonel Light statue

    Colonel William Light’s statue on Montefiore Hill pointing towards the centre of Adelaide has come to symbolise the city that Light laid out.

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s, 1840s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1930s, early twenty–first century

  4. Image: Bronze statue of a mans upper body

    Farnese Hercules

    One of three statues given to Adelaide by WA Horn, Hercules was unveiled in October 1892 in Victoria Square. 

    Historical Thing | By Madeleine Ryan and Pat Stretton, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1890s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  5. 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

  6. Australian Light Horse Memorial, 2010

    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

  7. Image: William Magarey

    Magarey Medal

    An award for the ‘fairest and most brilliant player’ in South Australia’s major Australian Rules football competition

    Historical Thing | By Bernard Whimpress | 1890s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Image: close-up of inside surfaces of the touchstone.

    Reconciliation Touchstone

    The red granite sculpture captures the plaster imprints of 64 handshakes made at a Reconciliation Week ceremony in 2006. 

    Historical Thing | By Catherine Barron, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 2000-2010, Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early twenty–first century

  12. Statue of Robert Burns

    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

  13. Image: view of a street corner with telephone box and poles

    Stobie Poles

    Unique to and ubiquitous throughout South Australia, the ugliness of stobie poles is periodically denounced, as also the mortal damage which they can and do inflict on the occupants of any vehicle unlucky enough to strike one at speed. 

    Historical Thing | By Patricia Sumerling and Wilfrid Prest | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  14. Image: bronze statue of a young naked boy in running pose

    The Athlete

    Once dubbed 'Adelaide's most active statue' the Athlete is now safely installed in the Lord Mayor's Courtyard. 

    Historical Thing | By Pat Stretton | Central Market, River Torrens, Southwest corner | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  15. Image: two people walking through underground brick-walled rooms

    Tunnels of Adelaide

    Adelaide tunnel tales are a perennial favourite in the popular press, and are cheerfully perpetuated by tour operators and publicans everywhere.

    Historical Thing | By Deb Morgan | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  16. Victor Richardson Gates, Adelaide Oval, South Australia

    Victor Richardson Gates

    An outstanding all-round sportsman was provided with the rare honour of being memorialised during his lifetime

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton & Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | River Torrens | 1920s, 1930s, 1960s, early twenty–first century

  17. Image: carved grey granite horse trough memorial situated in the East parklands

    War Horse Memorial

    Remembering the role of horses in war.

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton & Bernard O'Neil, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1910s, 1920s, 1960s, early twenty–first century

  18. Image: monument with crowds of people

    War Memorial

    Architect Louis Laybourne-Smith and sculptor George Rayner Hoff created a memorial that conveys the impact of the First World War

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 2000-2010

  19. War Memorial Fountain

    South Australia became the first state in Australia to build a memorial for the First World War.

    Historical Thing | By South Australian School for Vision Impaired (SASVI) | North Terrace | 1930s