1. Image: A young Caucasian man rides a camel in the Australian outback. He is dressed in 1930s attire, including a fedora hat

    Distance

    Geographical position and distance have strongly shaped the European history of South Australia.

    Historical Subject | By Geoffrey Blainey | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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

    Dutch in South Australia

    Dutch migration to South Australia was limited before the Second World War. Approximately 120,000 Dutch nationals immigrated to Australia between 1947 and 1961. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  3. Image: Black and white photograph of the Anlaby house front lawn. House features mullioned windows, and deep set veranda supported by doric columns

    Dutton Family

    Founders of 'Anlaby' station, featured in McLeod's Daughters, the Dutton brothers contributed to early mining ventures and pastoralism in the states Mid North

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort & Wilfred Prest | 1820s, 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1990s

  4. Image: GPO clock earthquake damage

    Earthquakes

    South Australia’s geology and topography can accentuate the concerns by some about earthquakes in the state, but most are tiny and occur irregularly

    Historical Subject | By David Love

  5. 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

  6. Image: A group of women sit on either side of a long table arranging paper documents, a man walks by with a trolley stacked with papers.

    Elections

    Elections to select members of parliament or local councillors are an important part of the democratic system. Who is allowed to vote is determined by the franchise, and who may stand for election by other provisions of electoral law.

    Historical Subject | By Jenny Tilby Stock | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  7. Image: Young man operating machinery

    Electricity

    Although amateur scientists had tinkered with it, electricity was not put to public use in South Australia until the arrival in 1855 of Charles Todd, who pioneered electrical telegraphic communications and introduced the notion of using electricity for street lighting.

    Historical Subject | By Rob Linn | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  8. Image: Young man operating machinery

    Employment

    The South Australian government involved itself in the labour market from the outset. Edward Gibbon Wakefield’s plan aimed to secure an optimal balance of capital and labour, while assisted migrants who could not find private sector jobs were promised public employment.

    Historical Subject | By Tom Sheridan

  9. Image: Black and white photograph of two paddlesteamers on a river. Each paddlesteamer has three levels and people are visible standing and sitting on each one. The foremost paddlesteamer is flying the Union Jack flag.

    Engineers

    To convert the vision of Colonel William Light into the infrastructure of today has taken the expertise and ingenuity of many engineers whose names are often not well-known and whose only monument is their work.

    Historical Subject | By Gwenyth Moxham

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

    English in South Australia

    Since 1836 the majority of immigrants to South Australia have come from England.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  11. Image: bi-plane on ground with men in cockpit and standing on lower wing

    Epic Flight Centenary

    Remembering an epic flight 100 years on. 

    Historical Subject | By The History Trust of South Australia | 1910s

  12. abstract blue tile

    Estonians in South Australia

    Estonian-born people were not shown separately in Australian census data until 1933

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  13. Image: Front view of a historic building with a small garden and trees at the front

    Exhibitions

    Exhibitions have been major occasions in the lives of many South Australians. 

    Historical Subject | By Stephanie Schrapel | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  14. Image: R.T. Maurice’s expedition party. Three Aboriginal men standing, two white men sitting, one dog on the floor. All the men wear suits.

    Exploration

    The early heroic phase of South Australia’s exploration by Europeans was plagued by difficulties.

    Historical Subject | By Philip Jones | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  15. Image: Group of elderly women sitting in a room wearing hats

    Feminism

    Feminism is a politics concerned with advocating rights and opportunities for women; especially any extension of women’s social, economic and geographical spheres of activity, and with celebrating women’s achievements, humour and creativity. As a social and political movement in Australia, feminism emerged in the late nineteenth century in what was termed the ‘Woman Movement.’ Its central concern was the achievement of votes for women.

    Historical Subject | By Susan Magarey | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  16. abstract blue tile

    Fijians in South Australia

    A Fijian presence in Australia has been evident since the late nineteenth century.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

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

    Filipinos in South Australia

    Small numbers of Filipinos began arriving in South Australia after the Second World War but during the 1970s the number of Filipino arrivals increased substantially.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  18. 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

  19. Image: Women holding fishing rod with fish next to small boy

    Fishing

    Especially in coastal and riverine areas, fishing has always played an important role in the cultural, material and social lives of Aboriginal peoples.During the early years of European colonisation a cutter fleet supplied much-needed food for the settlers, while other fishers, operating small sailing boats or using lines or nets from the shore, hawked their catch door-to-door. 

    Historical Subject | By Evelyn Wallace-Carter | 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

  20. 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

  21. Image: man stands next to building made of logs

    Forestry

    With few areas of high rainfall, South Australia lacks abundant native forests. 

    Historical Subject | By Rob Robinson and Peter Johnston | early twentieth century, Great Depression, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

  22. Franchise

    The franchise has proved a lively issue in South Australia’s political history. Before representative government, wealthy men of property claimed that parliament should represent only those with a stake in the country, whereas many colonists sought popular representation. 

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

  23. Image: man in formal regalia

    Freemasonry

    The first South Australian Freemasons lodge formed in England, before the colony of South Australia was settled. 

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

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

    French in South Australia

    The first French people came to Australia as convicts or as free settlers who had fled France in the wake of the 1789 Revolution.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum

  25. Image: areal view of eroded land

    Furrows and Lands

    Naturally, traditional farming practices were brought to Australia by the early European settlers.

    Historical Subject | By CR Twidale, University of Adelaide

  26. Image: A woman holding a book sits in a garden with several flowering and other plants

    Gardens

    Even if one does not have a ‘green thumb’, gardening has the benefits of growing one’s own produce or contributing to a healthy environment

    Historical Subject | By David S Jones

  27. Gas

    Domestic oil and gas exploration and discoveries have been vital for South Australia’s development

    Historical Subject | By Peter Donovan and Bernard O’Neil | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  28. Image: The German consul sitting surrounded by his welcoming party at the front of a house in Hahndorf

    Germans

    The German born community have left a strong cultural legacy in South Australia, evident in many areas today.

    Historical Subject | By Ian Harmstorf | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century

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

    Germans in South Australia

    Germans have been arriving in South Australia since the beginnings of the new colony in 1836

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | 1860s, late nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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

    Ghanaian in South Australia

    African and Asian Ghanaians have immigrated to Australia since 1973, when the White Australia policy was abolished.

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | late twentieth century

Pages