1. Image: tea pot decorated with Chinese dragon

    Sym Choon Collection

    A collection of objects related to the Sym Choon family, reflecting their lives as first generation Australians with Chinese heritage.

    Collection Level Description | Rundle Street east | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  2. Image: sepia shot of building facades

    Sym Choon Shops

    In 1925/26 Thomas Sym Choon bought his four children a shop each.

    Historical Place | By Hannah Stewart, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Street east | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  3. 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

  4. The Eternal Question by Richard Kelly Tipping 1982, Light Square

    The Eternal Question

    Word artist Richard Tipping prompts us to consider big ideas in his sculpture ‘The Eternal Question’

    Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Northwest corner | 1940s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

  5. Image: Proclamation sign

    The first reading of the proclamation

    The December 1836 proclamation at Holdfast Bay is South Australia’s best known historical event, despite it often being misunderstood

    Historical Event | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s

  6. 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

  7. Image: Printed document headed ’Proclamation’

    The Proclamation

    South Australia’s first vice-regal proclamation was read at Holdfast Bay on 28 December 1836

    Historical Subject | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s

  8. Image: two women looking at bombs

    The Second World War

    This major international conflict officially began when Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 3 September 1939. It lasted for six years, gradually increasing in scope and intensity as it blazed through Europe into Africa and Asia and on into Pacific Asia and the Americas.

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | 1930s, 1940s

  9. 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

  10. Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a young Caucasian man wearing a light-coloured, late-Victorian era suit and sporting a very large handlebar moustache

    Smith, Mr. Tom

    A proverbial chip off the old block, Tom Elder Barr Smith was an astute businessman and generous philanthropist.

    Historical Person | By Pamela Oborn | North Terrace | 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

  11. Image: Bronze plaque

    Torrens Lake Fountain

    The Torrens Lake Fountain commemorates the first time South Australia was visited by a reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II in 1954. 

    Historical Thing | By Madeleine Ryan, History Trust of South Australia | Parklands | 1950s

  12. 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

  13. Image: People walking and others fishing with hand rods from a wooden jetty

    Tourism

    The South Australian Tourism Commission, established in 1993, focuses on marketing South Australia as a tourist destination to interstate and overseas markets.

    Historical Subject | By Lyn Leader-Elliot | North Terrace, Parklands | 1880s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

  14. Image: Red metal bike with three wheels

    Tricycle

    Tricycle, painted red and white.

    Collection Item | 1950s

  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. Image: group stand in front of a tavern building with four women standing on a balcony in the tavern

    United Trades and Labor Council

    Carpenters, tailors, bakers, carriers, cordwainers and coachmakers had formed unions within ten years of European settlement of South Australia, and by the 1870s there were thousands of union members in the colony.

    Historical Organisation | By Tom Sheridan | 1890s, 1910s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s

  17. Image: Hellenic vase shaped bronze urn on square base

    Urn

    Urn made by Henry Tijou and carried in Queen Adelaide's funeral procession. 

    Collection Item | North Terrace | 1840s

  18. 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

  19. Image: A simple line drawing of a man in cricket batsman attire swinging a cricket bat

    Richardson, Mr. Victor

    The term 'all-round sportsman' might have been coined for Victor York Richardson, who excelled at cricket, football, baseball, lacrosse, tennis and basketball. 

    Historical Person | By Dr Bernard Whimpress | North Terrace | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  20. Bagot , Walter

    Bagot was an architect whose work, including Bonython Hall and the Barr Smith Library, displays his preference for classical and traditional designs.

    Historical Person | By Dr David Jones | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

  21. 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

  22. Image: A small circular badge with painted wattle flowers with text above them which says for our own

    Wattle Day

    1 September in Australia is Wattle Day, though not widely known, some have argued it should replace Australia Day.

    Historical Event | By Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s, 1900-1910, 1910s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. Image: Photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged Caucasian man in the uniform of a high-ranking Australian Army officer

    Veale, Mr. William

    Soldier, engineer and Adelaide Town Clerk William Veale is celebrated for revitalising the city's parklands.

    Historical Person | By Robert Thornton | North Terrace | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  26. 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

  27. Image: Upper body portrait of a man

    Hay, William

    William Gosse Hay was the son of a wealthy pastoralist, and a writer. Author of six novels which are stirring tales of noble heroes struggling to maintain moral honour in convict-era Tasmania. His unfinished work, ‘The Return of Robert Wasterton’, is set in 1890s Victor Harbor. 

    Historical Person | By Anthony Laube | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

  28. Muirden, Mr. William

    William Muirden founded the Muirden College for Business Training, and was known for the balanced symmetry and harmony of his nature. 

    Historical Person | By Jim Loudon | Southeast corner | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s

  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

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