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Adelaide city centre

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This article is about the central locality of Adelaide. For the greater metropolitan area, see Adelaide. For the local government area, see City of Adelaide.

Adelaide city centre (Kaurna: Tarndanya)[5] is the inner city locality of Greater Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It is known by locals simply as "the City" or "Town" to distinguish it from Greater Adelaide and from the City of Adelaide local government area (which also includes North Adelaide and from the Park Lands around the whole city centre). The residential population was 18,202 in the 2021 census, with a local worker population of 130,404 [6].

Adelaide City Centre
Tarndanya
Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide City Centre with Adelaide Oval and the Adelaide Festival Centre in view (2015)
Map
Population18,202 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established1837
Postcode(s)5000
Area10.5 km2 (4.1 sq mi)
Location
RegionEastern Adelaide[2]
State electorate(s)Adelaide
Federal division(s)Adelaide
Suburbs around Adelaide City Centre:
Hindmarsh North Adelaide Gilberton
Hackney
Thebarton
Mile End		 Adelaide City Centre Kent Town
Rose Park
Dulwich
Keswick
Wayville		 Unley
Parkside		 Eastwood
Glenside

Adelaide city centre was planned in 1837 on a greenfield site following a grid layout, with streets running at right angles to each other. It covers an area of 4.33 square kilometres (1.67 square miles) and is surrounded by 6.68 square kilometres (2.58 square miles) of park lands.[7][note 1] Within the city are five parks: Victoria Square in the exact centre and four other, smaller parks.

Names for elements of the city centre are as follows:

  • The "city square mile" (in reality 1.67 square miles or 4.33 square kilometres) is the constructed area bordered by North, East, South and West Terraces.
  • The "central business district" (CBD) is an alternative term, but more accurately describes the intensively developed northern half of the city, which contains a multitude of commercial, cultural and entertainment premises, restaurants and high-rise apartments. The southern, lower-density half mainly contains small businesses, restaurants and, residentially, a mix of mansions, houses and conserved 19th century cottages, and (fewer) high-rise apartments.
  • Precincts such as the West End and the East End have distinctive characters. CBD shopping precincts include Rundle Mall and Adelaide Central Market.
  • In what is often described as the "North Terrace cultural precinct", many educational, cultural, entertainment and medical institutions lie between the northern side of North Terrace and the River Torrens – notably university campuses, the Adelaide Festival Centre, and the Parliament of South Australia. Adelaide railway station is also located there.

History

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Main article: History of Adelaide
See also: City of Adelaide § History
 
Currie Street looking east, c. 1925

Before the British colonisation of South Australia, the Adelaide Plains, on which Adelaide was built, were home to the Kaurna group of Aboriginal Australians. The colony of South Australia was established in 1836 at Glenelg, and the city itself established in 1837. The location and characteristic grid layout of the city and North Adelaide, as well as the surrounding parklands, were the result of the work of Colonel William Light (1786–1839), who was the first Surveyor General of South Australia. The area where the Adelaide city centre now exists was once known as "Tarndanya",[8] the Kaurna word for as "male red kangaroo rock", which was the name used for an area along the south bank of what is now known as the River Torrens (Karrawiri Pari), which flows through Adelaide.

 
This view shows about 60 per cent of the city centre, and the south-eastern suburbs and Adelaide Hills in 1935

Adelaide was not as badly affected by the 1860s economic depression in Australia as other gold rush cities like Sydney and Melbourne, allowing it to prosper. Historian F.W. Crowley noted that the city was full of elite upper-class citizens which provided a stark contrast to the grinding poverty of the labour areas and slums outside the inner city ring. Due to its historic wealth during the 20th century, the city retains a notable portion of Victorian architecture.[citation needed]

Town planning

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Adelaide city centre, North Adelaide and the Park Lands

Adelaide is separated from its greater metropolitan area by a ring of public parklands on all sides. The so-called "square mile" within the park lands is defined by a small area of high rise office and apartment buildings in the centre north, around King William Street, which runs north-to-south through the centre. Surrounding this central business district are a large number of medium to low density apartments, townhouses and detached houses which make up the residential portion of the city centre.

Layout

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The layout of Adelaide, sometimes referred to as "Light's Vision", features a cardinal direction grid pattern of wide streets and terraces and five large public squares: Victoria Square in the centre of the city, and Hindmarsh, Light, Hurtle and Whitmore Squares in the centres of each of the four quadrants of the Adelaide city centre. These squares occupy 32 of the 700 numbered town acre allotments on Light's plan.[citation needed]

All east–west roads change their names as they cross King William Street, except for North and South terraces.[9] They also alternate between being wide and narrow, 99 and 66 feet (30 and 20 m), except for the central Grote and Wakefield which are extra-wide, 132 feet (40 m),[10] along with the surrounding four terraces.[11] In the south half of the city, in several places the Adelaide City Council has constructed wide footpaths and road markings to restrict traffic to a lesser number of lanes than the full width of the road could support.[citation needed]

The street pairs, design widths, and town acres in Light's Vision are illustrated in this diagram:


 
W
e
s
t

T
e
r
r
a
c
e 		North Terrace E
a
s
t

T
c
e 		132 ft
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 M
o
r 		9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 K
i
n
g
  		17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 P
u
l 		25 26 27 28 29 30 31
62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32
Hindley Street Rundle Street 66 ft
63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93
124 123 122 121 120 119 118 Light

Square 		115 114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 Hind-
marsh
Square 		99 98 97 96 95 94
Currie Street Grenfell Street 99 ft
125 126 127 128 129 130 131 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 150 151 152 153 154 155
186 185 184 183 182 181 180 177 176 175 174 173 172 171 170 169 168 167 166 165 164 161 160 159 158 157 156
Waymouth p
h
e
t
t
  		Street Pirie t
e
n
e
y
  		Street 66 ft
187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 H
u
t
t

S
t
r
e
e
t 		219
252 251 250 249 248 247 246 245 244 243 242 241 240 239 238 237 236 235 234 233 232 231 230 229 228 227 226 225 224 223 222 221 220
Franklin Street Flinders Street 99 ft
253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 Victoria

Square 		270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286
320 319 318 317 316 315 314 313 312 311 310 309 308 307 306 303 302 301 300 299 298 297 296 295 294 293 292 291 290 289 288 287
Grote Street Wakefield Street 132 ft
321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 B
r
o
w
n 		329 330 331 332 333 334 335 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 H
a
n
s
o
n 		345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356
392 391 390 389 388 387 386 385 384 383 382 381 380 379 378 375 374 373 372 371 370 369 368 367 366 365 364 363 362 361 360 359 358 357
Gouger Street W
i
l
l
i
a
m

S
t 		Angas Street
E
a
s
t 		99 ft
393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430
468 467 466 465 464 463 462 461 460 459 458 457 456 455 454 453 452 451 450 449 448 447 446 445 444 443 442 441 440 439 438 437 436 435 434 433 432 431
Wright Street Carrington Street 66 ft
469 470 471 472 473 474 475 Whit-
more
Square 		478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 490 491 Hurtle

Square 		494 495 496 497 498 499 500 501 502 503 504 505 506
544 543 542 541 540 539 538 535 534 533 532 531 530 529 528 527 526 525 524 523 522 519 518 517 516 515 514 513 512 511 510 509 508 507
Sturt Street Halifax Street T
c
e
  		99 ft
545 546 547 548 549 550 551 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583
622 621 620 619 618 617 616 615 S
t 		614 613 612 611 610 609 608 607 606 605 604 603 602 601 600 599 S
t 		598 597 596 595 594 593 592 591 590 589 588 587 586 585 584
Gilbert Street Gilles Street 66 ft
623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 635 636 637 638 639 640 641 642 643 644 645 646 647 648 649 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661
700 699 698 697 696 695 694 693 692 691 690 689 688 687 686 685 684 683 682 681 680 679 678 677 676 675 674 673 672 671 670 669 668 667 666 665 664 663 662
South Terrace 132 ft

 
                 132 ft 99 ft 132 ft 99 ft 132 ft 132 ft                  (width)

Street and square names

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Architectural detail of the former Adelaide General Post Office on King William Street

The streets and squares were named by a committee of a number of prominent settlers after themselves, after early directors of the South Australian Company, after Colonisation Commissioners of South Australia (appointed by the British government to oversee implementation of the acts that established the colony), and after various notables involved in the establishment of the colony.

The Street Naming Committee comprised:[12]

All members of the committee (except Stephens) had one or more of the streets and squares in the Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide named after themselves. Brown Street, named for John Brown, was subsequently subsumed as a continuation of Morphett Street in 1967. In the same year, Hanson Street, named for Richard Hanson, was subsumed as a continuation of Pulteney Street.

The squares were named after:

The east–west streets named on 22 December 1836 were:[15]

Most of these people did not reside in or visit South Australia.

The naming of the streets was completed on 23 May 1837[12] and gazetted on 3 June.[17]

East–west streets:

North–south streets:

Dual naming of squares and parklands

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The Adelaide City Council began the process of dual naming all of the city squares, each of the parks making up the parklands which surround the city centre and North Adelaide, and other sites of significance to the Kaurna people in 1997.[19] The naming process, which assigned an extra name in the Kaurna language to each place, was mostly completed in 2003,[20] and the renaming of 39 sites finalised and endorsed by the council in 2012.[21]

  • Victoria Square – Tarntanyangga ('red kangaroo dreaming')
  • Hindmarsh Square – Mukata
  • Hurtle Square – Tangkaira
  • Light Square – Wauwi
  • Whitmore Square – Iparrityi

20th–21st century precincts

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The Lion Arts Centre, an iconic live music and performance venue in Adelaide's West End.
 
The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, part of the BioMed City precinct at the West End of North Terrace

The City of Adelaide Council has defined a number of neighbourhood precincts in the city centre, each with a character of their own:

In addition to these, the north-eastern side of North Terrace is often referred to as the "North Terrace cultural precinct" or "cultural boulevard", and includes the Art Gallery of South Australia, the State Library of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, the Migration Museum, the Adelaide Botanic Garden, the University of Adelaide and the "CityEast" campus of the UniSA[25]

Demographics

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The population was 18,202 in the 2021 census, 41 percent born in Australia.[3] The next most common countries of birth were China 15.7%, India 3.7%, England 3.6%, Malaysia 3.6%, and Hong Kong 2.7%. 49.1% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 17.8%, Cantonese 4.2%, Vietnamese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, and Korean 1.5%. The most common response for religion in Adelaide was "No Religion" at 52.9% of the population.[3]

Politics

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At federal level, Adelaide is within the Division of Adelaide, a marginal seat which historically has alternated between the Liberal and Labor parties. It has been held since 2019 by Steve Georganas of the Labor party.[26]

In the South Australian House of Assembly, Adelaide is within the Electoral district of Adelaide. Since the March 2022 state election, the seat has been held by Lucy Hood of the Labor party.

Culture

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Further information: Adelaide § Cultural life, and Music of Adelaide
 
The interior of the Mortlock Chamber at the State Library of South Australia

Adelaide's cultural and entertainment precincts/venues are generally concentrated in the city centre, including the Convention Centre; the Adelaide Oval is just north of the Torrens within the parklands and easily accessible from the city. Most of the events relating to the Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe are held within Adelaide's city centre and surrounding parklands during February and March. This time is known as "Mad March", due to the large number of other cultural festivities at the same time, including the Adelaide 500 and WOMADelaide.

North Terrace is considered Adelaide's "cultural boulevard" because it is home to the State Library of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, the Migration Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the University of Adelaide, the city campus of University of South Australia, and several smaller galleries.

Lonely Planet labelled Adelaide "Australia's live music city",[27] and the city was recognised as a "City of Music" by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2015.[28] Although there were many pubs hosting live music in the CBD in past, the number has slowly diminished. Two remain very popular with musicians and patrons alike:

  • The Grace Emily on Waymouth Street, which was refurbished as a live music venue around 1998 and renamed after an elderly neighbour, was added to the South Australian Music Hall of Fame in 2017.[29][30][31][32]
  • The Crown & Anchor was saved from demolition in 2024 after a vigorous campaign by the public as well as many musicians and politicians. New legislation passed on 11 September 2024 designates the entire Adelaide CBD as a "live music venue area", and gives protection to selected live music venues.[33]
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Pictures of Adelaide city centre skyline
From the north
From the east
From the south (west → east)
From the west

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The area of the park lands quoted is based, in the absence of an official boundary between the City and North Adelaide, on an east–west line past the front entrance of Adelaide Oval.

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Adelaide (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
  2. ^ "Eastern Adelaide SA Government region" (PDF). The Government of South Australia. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Adelaide (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 23 November 2017.  
  4. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Adelaide (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 25 January 2015.  
  5. ^ "Kaurna Place Names". kaurnaplacenames.com. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  6. ^ https://economy.id.com.au/adelaide/workers-key-statistics
  7. ^ Data from Google Earth.
  8. ^ "Tarndanya" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, KauranaPlaceNames.com. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
  9. ^ Royal Automobile Association. "Adelaide CBD & North Adelaide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2014. This map, showing the Adelaide city centre, North Adelaide and the Adelaide Parklands, was published on the website "soul underground". Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
  10. ^ Elgar, Frederic (1863). Handbook to the Colony of South Australia. London: "Australian and New Zealand Gazette" Office. p. 3. Retrieved 8 December 2014. ... principal north and south streets (from 99 to 132 feet wide) being nearly one mile in length, and the east and west streets (from 66 to 132 feet wide) from a mile and a quarter to a mile and three-quarters.
  11. ^ Margaret Anderson (31 December 2013). "Light's Plan of Adelaide 1837". adelaidia.sa.gov.au. History SA. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
    The page contains a copy of one of the two surviving original plans drawn in 1837. Quote: "It is a watercolour and ink plan, drawn by 16-year-old draughtsman Robert George Thomas to instructions from Light. ... The streets were named by a Street Naming Committee that met on 23 May 1837, indicating that this plan must have been completed after that date."
  12. ^ a b "The Street Naming Committee". HistorySouthAustralia.net. 30 September 2001. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  13. ^ The Colonial Storekeeper, like the Colonial Secretary, was an official position.
  14. ^ "Stephens, Edward (1811-1861)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. 1967. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  15. ^ "City Streets named 22 December 1836". SAHistorians.org.au. Archived from the original on 2 April 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  16. ^ Daniel Bell Wakefield is not to be confused with his uncle, Daniel Wakefield. Note that the street is named after him, not after his better known brother Edward Gibbon Wakefield - Refer Wakefield Street Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine in "Streets Named on 23 May 1837", HistorySouthAustralia.net.
  17. ^ City of Adelaide municipal year book. Adelaide: Adelaide City Council. 1972. pp. 57, 70.
  18. ^ a b Spence & Beams (2006) p. 33
  19. ^ Adelaide City Council. "Adelaide City Council Placenaming Initiatives". Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi. University of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 27 April 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  20. ^ Adelaide City Council. "Kaurna Placename Meanings within the City of Adelaide". Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi. University of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  21. ^ "Kaurna place naming: Recognising Kaurna heritage through physical features of the city". City of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  22. ^ "East End". City of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  23. ^ "West End". City of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  24. ^ a b "City neighbourhoods". City of Adelaide. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
  25. ^ "North Terrace cultural precinct". Adelaidia. 15 October 2015. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  26. ^ Antony Green (6 June 2019). "Adelaide Inner City - Australia Votes". ABC News Online - Elections. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  27. ^ "South Australian Live Music Venues Open for Business". Music SA. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  28. ^ "Adelaide". Creative Cities Network. UNESCO. Archived from the original on 2 December 2023.
  29. ^ Davies, Nathan (4 March 2017). "Fame for pub which retains its Grace". AdelaideNow. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  30. ^ Marsh, Walter (23 March 2024). "'We've had one fight in 15 years': is the Grace Emily hotel Australia's best music venue?". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  31. ^ Marsh, Walter (16 January 2019). "This must be The Grace: 20 years of the Grace Emily Hotel – The Adelaide Review". The Adelaide Review. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  32. ^ "Grace Emily Hotel". ADELAIDE GIGS. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  33. ^ Simmons, David (11 September 2024). "Pop-up venue hunt continues as Save the Cranker laws pass". InDaily. Retrieved 13 September 2024.

Select bibliography

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  • Spence, Catherine Helen; Beams, Maryan (2006). Susan Magarey; Barbara Wall; Maryan Beams; Mary Lyons (eds.). Ever yours, C.H. Spence: Catherine Helen Spence's An autobiography (1825-1910), Diary (1894) and Some correspondence (1894-1910). Wakefield Press. ISBN 978-1-86254-656-1.

Further reading

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