Adelaide

East End Discovery

Discover the unique cultural and historical features of Adelaide's East End! Famous for its markets, food, fashion and hotels, cafes and restaurants, this leisurely guided tour explores the hidden treasures and heritage icons of this iconic precinct. Join us on Saturday 25 November at 11am, departing from Ayers House Museum, book ... Continue Reading »

East Terrace Promenade

Life was good if you were lucky enough to join the social set that hovered around the stately homes of late nineteenth century East Terrace. Unless you happen to get a whiff of the industrial runoff from the working class area up the road, that is. Retrace the dual legacies of ... Continue Reading »

Bank of South Australia Head Office Building

The former ANZ  Bank Building in King William Street, Adelaide, now owned by the South Australian Government and named Edmund Wright House, was designed by E. W. Wright and was built in 1875-78 as the Bank of South Australia. The building is notable for its architectural accomplishment and the significant ... Continue Reading »

Goode Brothers Warehouse (later Marakesh Hotel)

This is a narrow three-storey Victorian commercial building built to James Place frontage for the Goode Brothers in the 1870's. Bluestone upper storeys with cream-painted brick quoins, painted brick side walls, painted render below first floor windows and at ground level. Upper storeys are intact including sashed windows flanking large ... Continue Reading »

Star Grocery

This is a single storey shop on the southeast corner of Hindley and Morphett Streets: the design of the shop acknowledges this with the chamfered corner. The ground floor has altered greatly, but the first floor retains original detailing. The walling is of rendered and painted masonry with a parapet ... Continue Reading »

Shop at 103 Hindley Street

This is a surviving portion of a larger building. It is of two storeys. The ground floor shopfront has been altered, but the remainder of the northern elevation appears original. The walling is of masonry that has been painted; quoins and door surrounds are rendered. There is a balustraded parapet ... Continue Reading »

Shops at 132-134 Gouger Street

A two-storey building built to the Gouger Street alignment. The ground floor has been altered, but the first floor of the southern elevation retains original detailing. The fabric is masonry that has been rendered and painted. There is a parapet, dentilled cornice across the southern elevation and a central pediment ... Continue Reading »

Shops at 58-60 Gawler Place

These shops known as Allans Building is a warehouse designed by Edmund Wright and James Reed in 1886 as an extension to the original Harris Scarfe warehouse in Gawler Place and adjacent to this building. At this time, Sir Henry Ayers and William Kay were joint tenants of the property. ... Continue Reading »

Oriental Hotel (now Walsh Building)

The former Oriental Hotel is a five-storey corner building constructed to the former Rundle Street and Gawler Place alignment on site of an earlier two-storey Hamburg Hotel. First two floors built of stone but upper three floors of painted rendered brick. Imitation stone coursing and leafy scroll pattern on vertical ... Continue Reading »

Warehouse and Office at 5-7 French Street

This is a five-storey interwar commercial building (warehouse and office) built to French Street frontage, with original entrances, windows and detailing. Red brick construction, timber windows, central timber framework and windows. Symmetrical treatment of façade, with strong vertical divisions of brick façade surmounted by projecting brick cornice, and divided into ... Continue Reading »

Shop and House at 237-239 Franklin Street

Two-storey former shop and residence built to the Franklin Street alignment. Front elevation is of sandstone with rendered quoins and window and door surrounds: visible side walls are of random bluestone. Roof is hipped and of corrugated galvanised iron; there are paired brackets beneath the eaves. Photographs of 1992 show ... Continue Reading »

Hassell Press Building

This two-storey building, bluestone at ground floor and brick at the second storey, has a Dutch gable parapet in front of its iron gable roof, and mild Italianate detailing above the first-storey windows that feature segmentally arched heads: the windows are timber-framed double hung sash. The front window and door ... Continue Reading »

Dun and Bradstreet Building

This is a severely utilitarian, or industrial, four-storey building, designed to admit maximum light through its metal framed and mullioned north-facing windows. The building is of red brick with a simple parapet that conceals the roof and a nameplate high up on the main elevation. The alternately bevel-set and right-angle ... Continue Reading »

Cottage at 24 Cardwell Street

This single storey attached cottage forms the northern end of a complex of five attached cottages: the northern wall is built to the alignment of Kenton Street. Front wall is of sandstone with rendered and painted surrounds to door and window: northern wall is painted. The roof is hipped and ... Continue Reading »

Cottage at 14 Cardwell Street

Double-fronted cottage with bluestone front wall: northern wall to Kenton Street is painted. The roof is hipped of corrugated galvanised iron, with two rendered chimneys, each with decorative tops; there are paired brackets beneath the front eaves. The front verandah is concave corrugated iron, and has timber posts and simple ... Continue Reading »

Cottages at 275-277 Angas Street

These are single-storey cottages, built of bluestone. The roof is gabled and of corrugated iron. Quoins are rendered and painted, with decorative brackets at the roofline; gabled ends of the building feature brick coping. There is a concave verandah that extends across the front of the cottage. The brick chimneys ... Continue Reading »

Old Treasury & Tunnels Tours

Journey through winding hallways and underground chambers to meet the colourful characters and deep history behind one of Adelaide’s oldest colonial buildings. From riots and floods to historic reforms the Treasury sat at the heart of South Australia’s political life – come explore its secrets and forgotten stories! For more ... Continue Reading »

Ayers House After Dark

Step back in time to 1876. Join Butler (Mr Wilkins), Housekeeper (Mrs Galvin) and Cook (Mrs Jenkins) on this special visit to Ayers House. The Master and Lady are out for the evening and staff are ready to show you through the house as they prepare for ... Continue Reading »

Adelaide Fruit and Produce Exchange

The Adelaide Fruit and Produce Exchange was constructed in 1904 shortly after Australia's Federation. It was established with private investment by a special Act of Parliament at the request of a company lead by William Charlick. The East End Market Company was later taken over by the Corporation of the ... Continue Reading »

Adelaide Botanic Garden- North Lodge

The North Lodge was originally built as the head gardener's cottage in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens by Nimmo and McGee in 1866.

Botanic Garden – Museum of Economic Botany

The Museum of Economic Botany was established in the Botanic Gardens in the late 1870's under then Director Dr Moritz Richard Schomburghk. The building was designed by the Architect-in-Chief E.J. Woods and built under his supervision in the Greek Style. The entrance is emphasised by ... Continue Reading »

Christian Brothers College – Western Wall

The Western section of this wall building with 100 feet (30 metre) frontage was built about 1878; as part of the Brothers House and Hurley Wing. E. H. Bayer was the architect.  The original building was demolished by the Adelaide City Council as part of the Frome Street scheme in ... Continue Reading »

Adelaide Club Building

The Adelaide Club building is in the Italian Regency style, with a three arched Porch perhaps a later addition. The first work done in 1863—the year of the foundation of the Adelaide Club—was the excavation of the basement and the digging of a well; the contractors for this were English ... Continue Reading »

Adelaide General Post Office

The building was begun in 1867 when Prince Alfred laid the foundation stone at the base of the tower which is called the 'Victoria Tower'. The main building on the corner was designed by Wright & Woods, architects, but it was erected under the supervision ... Continue Reading »

Destitute Asylum – Female Section

The surviving remains of the former Destitute Asylum complex include the Chapel, Schoolroom and Lying in hospital that are now incorporated in the Migration Museum accessed from Kintore Avenue. The Destitute Asylum dates from 1851, with extensions in 1853, 1863, 1865 and 1875. It operated until 1926, providing financial assistance and ... Continue Reading »

City Chambers

Morgan and Gilbert observed in 1969 that: 'The architect for this pleasant building, with its arcaded veranda and one- bay window on the first floor, has not been traced. It was built in 1879 for the South Australian Club, the second club of that name in Adelaide. It looks like a ... Continue Reading »

Destitute Asylum – Schoolroom

The surviving remains of the former Destitute Asylum complex include the Chapel, Schoolroom and Lying in hospital that are now incorporated in the Migration Museum accessed from Kintore Avenue. The Destitute Asylum dates from 1851, with extensions in 1853, 1863, 1865 and 1875.  It operated until 1926, providing financial assistance and ... Continue Reading »

Crown and Sceptre Hotel

This building, in which the Crown and Sceptre nestle so effectively in the small pediment, was designed in 1877 by William Mc Minn for William Hubble.  The façade to the street has lost something with the erection of a canopy over the pavement. The Crown and Sceptre Hotel is architecturally significant as an ... Continue Reading »

House at 330 Wakefield Street

This house was built in 1883 by J. M. Wendt for his own occupation.

State Library of South Australia – Jervois Wing

The Jervois Wing of the State Library of South Australia on North Terracewas built to a design attributed to C. T. Light between 1879 and 1884.  On a solid stone base, it features semicircular arches above doors and windows, and octagonal towers. The Jervois Wing was built as the second home ... Continue Reading »

Legislative Council Chamber

Constructed in stages between 1843 and 1875 Adelaide's Old Parliament House is of major historical significance both at the state and national level. The complex includes two walls of the original Council Chamber dating from 1843 which was the first permanent home of South Australia's Legislative Council along with the ... Continue Reading »

Government Offices

The Torrens Building is one of the State's most notable surviving purpose-built Government office buildings.  Completed in 1881 it was the largest public building of its period and one of the largest buildings in the city.  Other government office buildings of comparable significance that are State Heritage Places are the ... Continue Reading »

Eothen – House

Dating from 1891-92, St Corantyn is a significant and well preserved example of the work of architect George Klewitz Soward. It was built for Soward's half-sister Eliza and her husband Charles Hornabrook who was the licencee of the York Hotel.  The house is of relatively modern design though it retains ... Continue Reading »

Queen’s Chambers

This building, described in 1869, the year of its erection, as a suite of offices: was put up for G. W. Cotton, a lessee of the Corporation of the City of Adelaide to which the land belongs. The architects were Garlick & McMinn and the builders Crocker & Lawson. The ... Continue Reading »

Police Court

This imposing classically inspired structure, with its Roman Doric portico, was completed in 1867 under the supervision of the Colonial Architect R G Thomas. The Local and District Court (former Police Court) is significant as one of the State's most important group of law buildings forming a distinct precinct at the southern ... Continue Reading »

Bray House

There are records of houses on this site from 1842.  The Hutt Street front of this house was built for Sir John Bray after he bought the property in 1880, and most probably designed by Rowland Rees, architect. It hides the house built about 1847 to the design ... Continue Reading »

Adelaide Gaol Powder Magazine and surrounding walls

Two runs of magazines with stone walls around, built in 1882.  Gothic vault in brick inside.  Arched galvanised corrugated iron roof over cut bluestone outside.  Sandstone capping.

Archbishop’s House

The Archbishop's House was built in 1845 to the design of the notable early architect George S Kingston. It was subsequently altered in 1860, 1882, 1918 ,1935 and 1936. Historically it is associated with Dr. Murphy and has been the residence of all subsequent Catholic Bishops. It is one of ... Continue Reading »

Government House

The original portion of Government House was completed in 1840 and designed by George S Kingston in the Georgian/Regency style.  The building comprises two main wings- one facing east and one facing south.  The original design was adapted from one made in London for a wooden structure by ... Continue Reading »

Ayers House

Ayers House, the last surviving private mansion on North Terrace, began its life as a much smaller home. The first section was built in 1846 for William Paxton, an Adelaide chemist. In 1855 it was purchased by Sir Henry Ayers, a prominent South Australian parliamentarian. He ... Continue Reading »

Stow Memorial Church Manse

The primary significance of the former Stow Memorial Church Manse later known as the Attorney-General's building lies in its intervening use as a private sanatorium under the ownership and control of Dr Timothy A Hynes. In 1901 Dr Hynes purchased the property from the Congregational Church and commissioned the architectural ... Continue Reading »

Our Boys Institute – façade only

The former Our Boys Institute building is of heritage significance because of its association with the Our Boys Institute movement. Modelled on and supported by the Adelaide Branch of the YMCA the OBI fostered the physical and mental health of 13 to 18 year old boys and was a forerunner ... Continue Reading »

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

This church was built in 1872 of bluestone with much stucco; this is particularly evident in the tower with its squat spire where, as on the quoins, the stucco is lined to imitate stone.  The circular windows, with their heavy tracery, are a feature of the building. The building has had many ... Continue Reading »

House at 261 North Terrace

The building is a survival of the time- in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries- when North Terrace was a sought-after residential street.  It is a small, but elaborate Victorian villa in the French style, consisting of a porch, sawn ashlar stone, rusticated quoins, disappearing jalousies, mansard slate roof, with an attic and a ... Continue Reading »

Queens Theatre – façade

The Queen's Theatre was originally built in 1840, making it one of the oldest surviving buildings in Adelaide.  In 1846 it was rebuilt as the Royal Victoria Theatre by George Selth Coppin, a popular comedian and successful actor-manager from Melbourne.  It was capable of holding 700 ... Continue Reading »

Parliament House

South Australia's Parliament House, one of Adelaide's most imposing buildings on the north-west corner of North Terrace and King William Road, was the object of bitter debate and wrangling during its planning and construction. Between 1872 and 1886 arguments raged over the site, and designs (originally provided by E.W. Wright and ... Continue Reading »

Pirie Street Methodist Church

This church, which was designed by Henry Stuckey, was begun in 1850 and finished in 1852, a year after the architect's death, so like other work of that architect he did not live to see it finished. It is less interesting than his other work; perhaps this demonstrates how much ... Continue Reading »

Scots Church – North Terrace

Scots Church was built in 1850-51 and was originally known as Chalmers' Free Church, a congregation of migrant Scottish free churchmen. The 120-foot (37 metre) spire which once dominated North Terrace was added in the late 1850s and the southern section in the early 1860s. Chalmers Church combined with the Flinders Street ... Continue Reading »

Scots Church – Flinders Street

The foundation stone of Scots Church in Flinders Street was laid in 1863 but the church was not ready for worship until 1865. It was built at a cost of 4,423 Pounds, and the detailed design was the work of George Abbott and the builder was Michael McMullen. The shape ... Continue Reading »

Theatre Royal

The Theatre Royal in Hindley Street was Adelaide's best known and most loved theatre. The first Theatre Royal was built in 1868 to the design of Thomas English. This rapidly proved inadequate, and in 1878 the building which was to serve Adelaide for eighty-four years was built. It was designed ... Continue Reading »