1. 1985 pageant memories

    I was employed at John Martins from February 1985, and was lucky enough to be chosen to be in the Christmas Pagaent. My daughter Maria was also lucky to be chosen for the Christmas Tree Float.

    User Story

  2. Image: Inside Adelaide Hospital in 1890

    Adelaide Hospital Row

    A long-running dispute over a senior nursing appointment culminated with a medical officers’ strike and the temporary loss of medical teaching at the Adelaide Hospital

    Historical Subject | By Donald Simpson | 1890s, 1900-1910

  3. Man and children standing in front of the old Albion Hotel, Morphett Street c.1910

    Albion Hotel Ball

    My third great-grandfather's Grand Opening Ball at the Albion Hotel, 1864.

    User Story | 1860s

  4. Image: Archaeological excavation, Queen’s Theatre

    Archaeology

    Although originating with scientists and untrained laymen, archaeology has a distinguished record in South Australia. 

    Historical Subject | By DJ Mulvaney | 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  5. Conversion of police ordnance building to Archives Department

    Archives

    Archives in South Australia have grown and changed in the years since Professor Henderson's 1915 report to the South Australian government.

    Historical Subject | By Peter J Crush | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  6. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Armenians in South Australia

    The Armenian Cultural Association of South Australia was founded in 1960.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1960s, mid twentieth century

  7. Image: crowds on jetty

    Beaches

    With their carnivals and regattas, bathing-beauty competitions, amusements, sea and sand, beaches were one of the key gathering places for South Australians from the 1870s to the 1950s. 

    Historical Subject | By Marie Boland | 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s

  8. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Belgians in South Australia

    The first known Belgians arrived in South Australia after the Second World War as Displaced Persons (DPs) from refugee camps in Europe. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1960s, late twentieth century

  9. Image: a man sits cross legged on a chair, holding a newspaper

    Elder Family

    Elder Family of Scots merchants and ship owners saw the infant South Australia as an opportunity to expand their business interests. Alexander Lang Elder (1815–1885), the pioneer, arrived in 1839 and established a trading business. 

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | North Terrace | 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  10. Image: A group of Caucasian men with film equipment observe a conversation between two other men, one of whom is elderly and dressed in Afghan attire

    Film

    In October 1896, within one year of the Lumière brothers’ first public screening of film in Paris, the first public film screening in South Australia occurred at the Theatre Royal in Hindley Street

    Historical Subject | By Dylan Walker | 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

  11. Image: A tall gum tree stands near the bank of a river, which is visible in the distant background. The trunk of the tree is adorned with several small signs showing the year in which a major flood occurred and its water level height

    Floods

    Paradoxically, the only parts of South Australia to experience occasional serious disruption of by flooding are the far distant sparsely populated deserts around Lake Eyre

    Historical Subject | By CR Twidale, University of Adelaide | River Torrens | 1840s, 1860s, 1870s, 1890s, 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1970s, 2010s

  12. Image: Four men and a woman in university graduation attire sit on chairs and pose for a photograph

    Higher education

    Higher education has expanded to provide a range of benefits to all.

    Historical Subject | By Alison Mackinnon AM | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  13. Image: view from above of man amongst large pipes

    Improved sewerage system for Adelaide

    In 1881 Adelaide became the first Australian capital city to be connected to a water-borne sewerage system. 

    Historical Subject | By Corinne Ball, Migration Museum | 1870s, 1880s, 1890s

  14. Kaurna Heritage

    My mother elder Veronica Brodie was a Kaurna woman who could trace her history back to the park in glanville.

    User Story

  15. Kaurna language team 2013

    Kaurna language (Kaurna warra)

    Kaurna, the original language of Adelaide and the Adelaide Plains, is once again being heard.

    Historical Subject | By Rob Amery | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century

  16. Ivarityi

    Kaurna People

    The original people of the Adelaide Plains are still here - and once again speaking the Kaurna language.

    Historical Subject | By Lewis Yerloburka O'Brien & Mandy Paul | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  17. Image: several caucasian children sit around a wooden table playing with plasticine

    Kindergartens

    Based on the philosophy and understanding of child development of the German educator and philosopher Friedrich Froebel, kindergartens in South Australia began for both educational and humanitarian reasons.

    Historical Subject | By Dr Helen Jones | early twentieth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  18. Korean War

    Over 400 South Australians served in the Korean War (1950–53) alongside other Commonwealth and United States forces

    Historical Subject | By Brendan Moran | 1950s

  19. Magazines

    The first South Australian magazine to focus on local content was the South Australian Magazine, first published in 1841. Other magazines published during the nineteenth century include: Illustrated Adelaide Post, Pictorial Australian, Observer Miscellany, Adelaide Punch, Lantern, and Quiz.South Australian magazines published in the twentieth century include: Pheonix, Chapbook, and Angry Penguins. ‘Street press’, free newsprint magazines, began appearing in the last decades of the twentieth century with such titles as dB and Rip It Up . 

    Historical Subject | By Anthony Laube | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century

  20. Image: wedding party

    Marriage and divorce

    Marriage and divorce rates have fluctuated according to social mores and legislative imposts. 

    Historical Subject | By Margaret Allen | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  21. Image: woman in nurses uniform

    Mary's Cheer-Up Days

    Mary Stevens, was a teenager during the Second World War and contributed to the war effort in a number of ways

    User Story | 1930s, 1940s

  22. Memories of a 12 year old on the adventure of a lifetime

    We arrived on the 'SS Strathnaver' on 14 April 1960 on a cold wet blustery Autumn day.

    User Story | 1960s

  23. Muslim Cameleer heritage

    My tribe (Kharoti) came to australia and brought camels in 1860. 

    User Story

  24. My babysitter

    My uncle Gordon who was my nanas brother built and ran popeye for many years.

    User Story | River Torrens

  25. 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

  26. Image: A two-storey octagonal stone tower set within a high wall with a crenellated parapet.

    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

  27. 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

  28. Image: two bumper stickers

    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

  29. 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

  30. Blue background with yellow green and blue blow and dashed lines spiraling across the blue.

    Serbians in South Australia

    Serbians migrated to South Australia from the 1940s - 1990s to escape various forms of prosecution and have since established a wide community. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1990s, early twentieth century, Second World War

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