1980s

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

Image: A small motor boat travels along a river. The riverbank and distance hills are visible in the background

Archie Badenoch

Not many historic vessels in the care of maritime museums around the world still work as hard as South Australia’s ex-police launch, Archie Badenoch.

Historical Thing | By Dave Rickard | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s, Second World War

Image: Building front view from across street

Architecture

The distinctive architectural character of Adelaide and its suburbs has disappeared since 1980 - city high-rise offices and derivative styles in suburban housing are all-pervading

Historical Subject | By Peter Bell | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Conversion of police ordnance building to Archives Department

Argentinians in South Australia

Argentinian immigration to South Australia began in the 1970s, and may be attributed to the decline of Argentina’s economy and standard of living.

Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1970s, late twentieth century

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

Image: Black and white photograph of the front of a building. Palm trees stand on either side of the front of the building. The building reads "ART GALLERY"

Adelaide’s art galleries contribute to its reputation as a city of the arts. The South Australian Society of Arts, established in 1856 and the oldest Australian fine art society still in existence, had as one of its earliest objectives the setting up of a permanent gallery.

Historical Subject | By Christine Finnimore | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: The front of a large stone building with six columns flanking the entrance. A fountain and benches are arranged along stone sidewalks in front of the building

Art Gallery of South Australia

The classical building of the Art Gallery of South Australia, with its gracious colonnaded portico, is one of the cultural landmarks on North Terrace.

Historical Place | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Ash Wednesday

The bushfires of 16 February 1983 had a devastating impact on many South Australians.

Historical Event | By Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | 1980s

Aurora Hotel

The Aurora Hotel – its demolition was a watershed in heritage conservation in Adelaide with statewide repercussions

Historical Place | By Peter Bell | 1850s, 1890s, 1980s

Image: horse drawn vehicles travel down a dirt road lined with terraced shops

Austral Hotel

Constructed from east to west in January 1880, Adelaide’s most distinctive commercial complex of14 shops and hotel, heading west along Rundle Street, was built for The South Australian Company.

Historical Place | By Hannah Stewart, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Street east | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Australian Democrats

The Australian Democrats have been arguably the most successful minor party in Australia’s political history and one that (unlike the National party or the DLP) consistently performed best in South Australia.

Historical Organisation | By Jenny Tilby Stock | early twenty–first century, late twentieth century

Australian Rules Football

The structure of local Aussie Rules football competitions has changed over time, just as the game itself has continued to evolve

Historical Subject | By Bernard Whimpress | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Ayers House

Acquired and extended on the back of copper mining from the mid 1840s, Ayers House has had three main occupancies since the early twentieth century

Historical Place | By Peter Bell | North Terrace | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: Two men working in large shed space with wine barrels

B Seppelt & Sons

At the height of its activity in the 1890s, the wine company of B Seppelt & Sons was the largest in Australia. In 2007 an Australian consortium called The Seppeltsfield Estate Trust bought the Seppeltsfield winery with a view to maintaining its winemaking traditions and reputation for hospitality.

Historical Organisation | By Angela Heuzenroeder | 1820s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1930s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s

Bangladeshis in South Australia

The first Bengali immigrants came to South Australia to escape the 1971 civil war between West and East Pakistan.

Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1970s, late twentieth century

Baptist Church

Baptists are a much higher proportion of regular churchgoers than the rest of the state’s population

Historical Organisation | By David Hilliard | 1830s, 1840s, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: A photographic head-and-shoulders portrait of a middle-aged man wearing a suit and wire-rimmed spectacles

Barr Smith Family

Robert Barr Smith (1824–1915), the son of a Scottish clergyman and his wife Marjory, née Barr, migrated to Melbourne in 1854. Moving to Adelaide just as Thomas Elder’s brothers were leaving South Australia, he threw in his lot with Elder.

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

Bay to Birdwood

Standing on the side of the road, waving at a cavalcade of heritage vehicles parading past is an experience many South Australians grew up with.

Historical Event | By Michelle Toft, National Motor Museum | 1980s, 1990s, early twenty–first century

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

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

Image: man in a top hat and suit riding a velocipede with wooden wheels

Bicycles

From 'boneshakers' to penny-farthings to mountain bikes, bicycles have certainly changed since the 1860s.

Historical Subject | By Dieuwke Jessop | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: large painted figure of a man in a kilt playing the bagpipes

Big Scotsman

The Big Scotsman has adorned Scotty's Motel since 1963.

Historical Thing | By Catherine Manning, History Trust of South Australia | 1960s

Image: A two-masted sailing vessel passes through a drawbridge on a cloudy morning. Another bridge crossed by modern auto-mobiles is visible in the background

Birkenhead Bridge

Opened in 1940 as a replacement for the original Jervois Bridge, the Birkenhead Bridge was the first to employ a double-bascule design in Australia, and continues to function as a critical link between Port Adelaide and Lefevre Peninsula.

Historical Thing | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Bonython Family

Bonython Family is distinguished by a capacity for hard work, a leaning towards public service and significant benefaction to the institutions and people of Adelaide.

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