1. 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

  2. Moorhouse, Dr. Matthew

    Matthew Moorhouse, a medical practitioner, arrived in South Australia from Staffordshire, England, in June 1839 to take up appointment as the colony’s first permanent protector of Aboriginals. 

    Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Montefiore Hill

    Montefiore Hill, overlooking the city planned by Colonel William Light, was named after South Australian Colonization Commissioner Jacob Montefiore

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1830s, 1840s, 1880s, 1930s

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. Nursing

    On-the-job experience was the only training for the earliest nurses, but the profession is now part of the higher education sector

    Historical Subject | By Joan Durdin | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  9. 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

  10. Oral History

    There’s a lot to talk about with history – while history doesn’t stop being made it, record it while you can

    Historical Subject | By Beth M Robertson | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, Great Depression, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century, Second World War

  11. Paint Box

    This paint box is believed to have belonged to soldier, public servant and explorer, Captain Charles Sturt.

    Collection Item | 1800-1810, 1830s, 1840s

  12. Penfolds

    From medicinal benefits to international stature, some of Dr Penfold’s wines have acquired legendary status.

    Historical Organisation | By Anne Burrows | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  13. Philanthropy

    ‘South Australia’, wrote the early twentieth-century author of The Cyclopedia of South Australia, ‘owes its existence to a movement which had its origins in philanthropy’. 

    Historical Subject | By Rob Linn | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  14. Picture Puzzle Blocks

    Picture blocks were a forerunner of the jigsaw puzzle. 

    Collection Item | late nineteenth century

  15. Pirie Street

    Pirie Street has been home to cottages, churches, commerce and clubs

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  16. Pirie Street Methodist Church

    Pirie Street Methodist Church was the ‘cathedral church’ of Methodism in Adelaide.

    Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | late nineteenth century

  17. Pirltawardli

    Pirltawardli, (possum home) is the site of the first Christian mission to Aboriginal people in South Australia.

    Historical Place | By Rhondda Harris | Parklands | 1840s

  18. Playford Family

    A Baptist minister and Waterloo veteran with a dragoon’s pension, South Australia’s first Thomas Playford arrived in 1844 to claim an inherited original town acre. Thomas’s eldest son, Thomas Playford (1837–1915), was a successful orchardist at Drysdale, Norton Summit, in the Adelaide Hills. Thomas’s grandson, Tom Playford (1896–1981), also went into parliament, becoming Australia’s longest-serving premier.

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  19. Booboorowie, Mr. Poltpalingada

    From the 1880s Tommy Walker, or Poltpalingada Booboorowie, was a leading figure among the community of Aboriginal people who lived on the fringes of white Adelaide society.

    Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  20. Popeye

    'Popeye the Sailor' was a popular cartoon at the cinema in the 1930s when Gordon Watts introduced a tourist pleasure craft on the River Torrens

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | River Torrens | 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

  21. Population

    South Australia’s demography is in many ways the most distinctive of all Australia’s states, but the wealth of historical population data available for both the colony and state remains under-analysed.

    Historical Subject | By Graeme Hugo | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  22. Presbyterian Church

    The Presbyterian Church has a long history in South Australia, owing much to the early Scotish community.

    Historical Organisation | By John Love | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  23. Prisons

    Although South Australia was proclaimed a free settlement, colonial officials soon found they needed a gaol to house lawbreakers. 

    Historical Subject | By Patricia Sumerling | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  24. 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

  25. Pubs

    JM Freeland characterises Australian pubs as among ‘the most socially significant, historically valuable, architecturally interesting and colourful features of Australian society’ (Freeland 1977, p. 1). South Australia’s pubs are no exception. 

    Historical Subject | By Patricia Sumerling | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  26. Queen's College

    Designed in 1892, Queen’s School became one of South Australia’s leading private schools.

    Historical Place | By Cindy Crook, History Trust of South Australia | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  27. Queen's Theatre

    Built in 1840, the Queen's Theatre is the oldest surviving theatre building in Adelaide. 

    Historical Place | By Catherine Manning and James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | Northwest corner | 1840s

  28. 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

  29. Refugees

    In general refugees have enriched and diversified South Australia’s religions, universities and schools, food, the arts, newspapers, clubs and sports.

    Historical Subject | By Kate Walsh | 1830s, 1840s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  30. Retail Trade

    In the early years of European settlement the distinction between retail trade, wholesale trade and importing in South Australia was unclear, with many businesses combining all three functions.

    Historical Subject | By Martin P Shanahan | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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