1. Image: protesters on King William Street

    Radicalism

    Radicalism has been inherent in South Australian history from its founding as a free settlement.  Based upon the English radical liberal thought of its founders, the State's reputation grew as a progressive colony and the first to entirely separate church from state.

    Historical Subject | By Brendan Moran | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1930s, 1940s, 1960s, 1970s

  2. Image: large stone building

    Responsible Government

    South Australia gained a radical, and democratic, Constitution on 24 October 1856.

    Historical Subject | By Craig Middleton, Centre of Democracy | North Terrace | 1850s

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Image: A map depicting morphological features of the City of Adelaide and its surrounding landscape, with particular emphasis placed on the River Torrens and its associated features

    River Torrens

    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

  6. 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

  7. Image: man standing in 19th century dress

    Todd, Sir Charles

    Sir Charles Todd was a leader in the fields of meteorology, astronomy and communications, and is best remembered for masterminding the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.

    Historical Person | By John Jenkin | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910

  8. 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

  9. Image: a bearded man in three quarter profile and wearing a hat and sword sits at his writing desk.

    Smith, Sir Edwin

    Sir Edwin Thomas Smith was a brewer, parliamentarian and, thanks to his philanthropy, Adelaide’s favourite millionaire.

    Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  10. Image: drawing of a man in profile wearing a top hat

    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

  11. 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

  12. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a man in suit and tie sporting a large handlebar moustache. The frame surrounding the portrait identifies the man as Richard Chaffey Baker

    Baker, Sir Richard

    An influential conservative politician and a supporter of Federation, Sir Richard Baker was the first President of the Senate.

    Historical Person | By Rob van den Hoorn | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  13. Image: A lithographic portrait of a middle-aged balding man with a large, full beard. He is wearing mid-Victorian attire, including an overcoat, waistcoat, and pocket watch chain with fob

    Torrens, Sir Robert

    Land titles reformer Sir Robert Richard Torrens reformed, amended and even radicalised the land trade system.

    Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  14. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a bearded middle-aged Caucasian man wearing a judicial wig and vestments. He is also wearing wire-rimmed spectacles and looking to his left

    Way, Sir Samuel

    A Chief Justice of South Australia, Sir Samuel Way was polished, cultured and proud.

    Historical Person | By Peter Moore | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  15. Sir Samuel Way statue

    Sir Samuel Way Memorial Statue

    A statue of Sir Samuel Way reflects his towering presence in legal, political and cultural circles in the last decades of the nineteenth century.

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

  16. Image: Black and white photograph of man wearing formal clothes and livery collar

    Elder GCMG, Sir Thomas

    A pastoralist, philanthropist and businessman, Elder supported numerous outback expeditions and Adelaide institutions.

    Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace, Parklands | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  17. Image: crowd of people around large bronze statue of seated man

    Sir Walter Watson Hughes statue

    The bronze figure of Sir Walter Watson Hughes by Francis Williamson stands on a massive block of red granite.

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton and James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1900-1910, 2000-2010

  18. Image: Blue and gold embroidered smoking cap

    Smoking Cap

    Smoking cap owned and worn by John McDouall Stuart.

    Collection Item | 1850s

  19. Green Dragon Hotel, 1939

    South Terrace

    Mansions at one end and cottages at the other, with businesses, welfare, medical and educational institutions in between, all overlooking the parklands

    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, 2000-2010

  20. Image: large stone church

    St Francis Xavier's Cathedral

    Built in a striking Gothic Revival style, St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Adelaide.

    Historical Place | By Alexander Parsons, History Trust of South Australia | 1850s

  21. Governor Richard MacDonnell

    The opening of Parliament 1857

    Crowds gathered on 22 April 1857 to watch Governor Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell open South Australia’s first fully elected parliament.

    Historical Event | By Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s

  22. Image: Photographic portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man in the clothing of a Christian minister. He is sitting in an high-backed chair and has his right hand resting on a book--possibly a bible

    Stow, Thomas

    Founder of the Congregational Church in South Australia, Thomas Stow was a strenuous minister and a dedicated opponent of state aid to religion.

    Historical Person | By Brian Jones | North Terrace | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s

  23. Torrens Title

    The Torrens title system for land ownership was inaugurated in South Australia  has led the world in the computerisation of real property title information.

    Historical Subject | By Peter Moore | 1830s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

  24. 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

  25. Venere di Canova, 2013

    Venere di Canova

    A startled Venus caused consternation as Adelaide’s first public statue in 1892

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1960s

  26. Image: parklands

    West Parklands

    A temporary camping ground for the early European settlers, the West Parklands developed to host most notably a cemetery and a school.

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

  27. Campden, West Terrace

    West Terrace

    A major cemetery, a palace and an observatory have graced West Terrace along with its parklands border

    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, 2000-2010, 2010s

  28. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young, moustachioed man dressed in Victorian attire. He is wearing a cravat with a large pin or pendant embedded within it

    Gosse, Mr. William

    Short-lived explorer and surveyor William Christie Gosse was the first European to set eyes on Uluru.

    Historical Person | By Anthony Laube | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s

  29. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged bearded man in a suit. He has a full head of hair and is looking to the left

    Mortlock, Mr. William

    William Mortlock was a pastoralist and a generous and popular, if not necessarily brilliant, parliamentarian.

    Historical Person | By Rob Linn | North Terrace | 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s

  30. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man with a bushy salt-and-pepper beard and receding ear-length hair. He is wearing a late-Victorian suit with bowtie

    Randell, Mr. William

    William Randell was a pioneer of River Murray paddle-steamers, and was responsible for both designing and piloting them. 

    Historical Person | By John Tolley | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s

Pages