Adelaide City Centre Tarndanya Adelaide, South Australia
Adelaide City Centre and, beyond the Park Lands, the southern suburbs (2014)
Population	18,202 (SAL 2021)[1]
Established	1837
Postcode(s)	5000
Area	10.5 km2 (4.1 sq mi)
Location	5 km (3 mi) E of Adelaide Airport 12 km (7 mi) SE of Port Adelaide 9 km (6 mi) NE of Glenelg
Region	Eastern 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 (Kaurna: Tarndanya)^[3] 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 population was 15,115 in the 2016 census.

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.^{[4][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

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",^[5] 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.

Town planning

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.

Street and square names

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:^[9]

Governor Hindmarsh Judge Jeffcott James Hurtle Fisher (Resident Commissioner) Robert Gouger (Colonial Secretary) Colonel Light (Surveyor General) John Brown (Emigration officer)

Osmond Gilles (Treasurer) Thomas Gilbert (Colonial Storekeeper)[10] John Morphett John Barton Hack Edward Stephens (Cashier and Accountant of the South Australian Company)[11] Thomas Bewes Strangways

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:

• Victoria – the regent, Princess Victoria, later Queen Victoria
• Hindmarsh – Rear Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh, first Governor of South Australia
• Hurtle – Sir James Hurtle Fisher, first Resident Commissioner
• Light – Colonel William Light, Surveor General
• Whitmore – William Wolryche-Whitmore MP, a Colonial Commissioner in London

The east–west streets named on 22 December 1836 were:^[12]

• Rundle – John Rundle MP, Director of the South Australian Company
• Hindley – Charles Hindley MP, Director of South Australian Company
• Grenfell – Pascoe St Leger Grenfell MP, presented town acre for Holy Trinity Church and other country lands
• Currie – Raikes Currie MP, Director of South Australian Company
• Pirie – Sir John Pirie, alderman and later Lord Mayor of London, Director of South Australian Company
• Waymouth – Henry Waymouth, Director South Australian Company
• Flinders – Matthew Flinders, explorer
• Franklin – Rear Admiral Sir John Franklin, midshipman under Flinders
• Wakefield – Daniel Bell Wakefield, barrister who drafted the South Australia Act^[13]
• Grote – George Grote MP, treasurer of the South Australia Association
• Angas – George Fife Angas, a Colonial Commissioner and founding Chairman of Directors of the South Australian Company
• Gouger – Robert Gouger, first Colonial Secretary

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

The naming of the streets was completed on 23 May 1837^[9] and gazetted on 3 June.^[14]

East–west streets:

• Carrington – John Abel Smith (Lord Carrington)
• Wright – John Wright, Colonial Commissioner and financier^[15]
• Halifax – Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax, Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Sturt – Charles Sturt, explorer
• Gilles – Osmond Gilles, early treasurer of the colony
• Gilbert – Thomas Gilbert, storekeeper and postmaster^[15]

North–south streets:

• Morphett – John Morphett, member of the South Australian parliament
• Pulteney – Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, British naval officer
• Hutt – William Hutt MP, a Colonial Commissioner

20th–21st century precincts

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:

• The East End, centering on Rundle Street known for its restaurants, bars, high-end fashion shops, the Palace Nova Cinema;^[19]
• The West End, from the western end of North Terrace and encompassing several blocks southward, which includes the University of South Australia 'CityWest' campus, the Samstag Museum of Art, JamFactory, Lion Arts Centre, Mercury Cinema, numerous bars, clubs and restaurants, and "BioMed City";^[20]
• The South East of the city, largely residential, but including many cafés, restaurants, pubs, etc.;^[21] and
• The South West is very diverse; largely residential and including the Adelaide Central Market^[21]

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^[22]

Demographics

The population was 15,115 in the 2016 census in the Adelaide city centre, 38.8 percent born in Australia.^[23] The next most common countries of birth were China 17.5%, Malaysia 4.4%, England 3.4%, Hong Kong 2.8% and India 1.9%. 44.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 19.6%, Cantonese 4.9%, Arabic 1.9%, Korean 1.9% and Vietnamese 1.1%. The most common response for religion in Adelaide was 'No Religion' at 47.7% of the population.^[23]

Politics

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.^[24]

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

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. They include the Convention Centre, Entertainment Centre and the redeveloped Adelaide Oval. Additionally, most of the events relating to the Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe are held within Adelaide's city centre 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 of its tight concentration of galleries and museums.

Gallery

• 
  Aerial view of the Adelaide city centre looking south-east, 2005.
• 
  A statue of Queen Victoria has stood in the geometric centre of both Victoria Square and "the square mile" since 1894.
• 
  Part of North Terrace, 2009.
• 
  Adelaide CBD from above, 2022.
• 
  High rise buildings on Hindmarsh Square, 2012.
• 
  Night aerial of the CBD, 2014
• 
  Statue of King Edward VII on North Terrace.
• 
  St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Victoria Square.
• 
  Brookman Building on North Terrace, part of the City East campus of the University of South Australia
• 
  Rundle Street looking east

See also

• Adelaide (Greater Adelaide metropolis)
• City of Adelaide (local government area)
• North Adelaide
• Street art in Adelaide
• Grid layout

Notes

References

Select bibliography

• 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

• "Nomenclature of the Streets of Adelaide and North Adelaide" (PDF). State Library of South Australia. taken from The City of Adelaide Year Book, 1939-1940
• Nicholas, Jeff; Grenvell, Julian, Lord, Baron of Kilvey, (writer of foreword.) (2016), Behind the streets of Adelaide : the unrevealed history of the roads and pavements of a modern city (Limited edition hardback set ed.), Torrens Press, ISBN 978-0-9945330-0-5{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

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