1. 'Great Fires' of Port Adelaide

    Port Adelaide has been ravaged by fire several times in its history, but three blazes in particular, in 1847, 1857 and 1885, were particularly devastating and are known as the Port's 'Great Fires'

    Historical Subject | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1840s, 1850s, 1880s

  2. 19th Century Childbirth

    When men and women married in the 1830s they generally assumed that children would follow promptly and regularly. 

    Historical Subject | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  3. Aboriginal Land Rights

    The 1834 British statute authorising the establishment of the colony of South Australia described the region as ‘waste and unoccupied’, making no mention of the Indigenous owners of the land.

    Historical Subject | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  4. Aboriginal Missions

    Christianity was first introduced to the Kaurna of the Adelaide plains by two German Lutheran missionaries, Clamor Schürmann and Christian Teichelmann, who arrived in South Australia in 1838.

    Historical Subject | By Peggy Brock | 1970s, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  5. Aboriginal Policy and Administration

    South Australia’s Foundation Act, passed by the British parliament in 1834, made no reference to the Aboriginal peoples who owned and occupied the land that was being annexed from the other side of the world.

    Historical Subject | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  6. Aboriginal Ration Depots

    The distribution of government rations to Aboriginal people, begun in the earliest days of European settlement, continued well into the twentieth century. 

    Historical Subject | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  7. Agriculture

    South Australian agriculture began in 1837 with activity in Adelaide Plains, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Barossa Valley and Clare.

    Historical Subject | By John C Radcliffe | 1830s, 1840s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s

  8. Angas Family

    George Fife Angas (1789–1879), described by his biographer Edwin Hodder, who was attracted to Angas’s nonconformist piety, as ‘one of the Fathers and Founders of South Australia’, helped shape South Australia’s institutions

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

  9. 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

  10. Art Galleries

    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

  11. Auditor-General

    Independent auditing of Government is established in the position of the colonies first auditor general

    Historical Subject | By Brendan Moran | 1830s, 1840s, 1930s

  12. 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

  13. Austrians in South Australia

    The first Austrians to arrive in South Australia were two Jesuit priests, Fathers Aloysius Kranewitter and Maximilian Klinkowstroem on December 8, 1848. 

    Historical Subject | By Migration Museum | mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. Bushrangers

    No bushrangers to threaten the utopian dream, but criminal activity led to Australia’s first police force

    Historical Subject | By Robert Clyne | 1830s

  18. Chinese

    A small presence for much of the time, but growing in number and contribution to the community

    Historical Subject | By Yen Ching-hwang | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  19. Climate

    Climate was and still is an important factor in how and where South Australia first settled. 

    Historical Subject | By Peter Schwerdtfeger | 1800-1810, 1830s

  20. Closer Settlement

    Settlers believed that using land intensively maximised its value and civilised its occupants, and that holdings should be small to allow people to hold land

    Historical Subject | By Bill Gammage | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  21. Copper Industry

    Copper brought unexpected wealth to the new colony and was an economic mainstay for 70 years, with a resurgence since the 1980s at Olympic Dam

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

  22. Cornish

    South Australian mineral discoveries of the 1840s (especially at Kapunda and Burra in the Mid North) and extension of the farming frontier, were a magnet to the Cornish.

    Historical Subject | By Mel Davies | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  23. Customs Houses of Port Adelaide

    From its earliest days, the South Australian government applied customs duty (charges levied on all foreign and domestic imported goods) as a means of raising money to keep the colony financially s

    Historical Subject | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

  24. Defence Science and Industry

    South Australia has been closely involved in the nation’s defence science and industry work for almost a century and continues to seek such opportunities

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

  25. 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

  26. 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

  27. 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

  28. 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

  29. 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

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