North Adelaide Police Station Building

The 1864 Police Station originally had the office and quarters in the one building with a lock-up or cell block and walled yard to the rear. The simple bluestone building is a good example of Adelaide’s Pre Cast-iron Age.  The verandah was added in 1866.

After 35 years it was decided to build a separate residence for  the Sergeant and his family.  At least nine small one-officer police stations were erected throughout the metropolitan area to a standard cottage design between 1891 and 1900.  The Sergeant’s residence at North Adelaide Police Station (c 1900) is the only one of its type remaining in fairly original condition the others of similar architectural design having either been demolished or substantially altered.  Having separate accommodation for the officer-in-charge and his family was the method used prior to the ‘villa’ style of police stations with an in-built charge room which harkened back to the earlier single officer stations with quarters in the same building.