Adelaide

Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. It is located on the Adelaide Plains between the Gulf St Vincent and the Mount Lofty Ranges.

The city was founded in 1836 and named after Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, the wife of King William IV. It was planned carefully with wide streets and public parks, a design created by Colonel William Light.

Today, Adelaide is known for its festivals, sports events, and beautiful surroundings. It hosts many visitors each year and is famous for its food, wine, and automotive history. The city is also a center for government and business and has strong connections to the rest of the world. Adelaide is often praised for being a comfortable and attractive place to live.

History

Main articles: History of Adelaide and Timeline of Adelaide history

Before European settlement

People have lived around the area of modern-day Adelaide for tens of thousands of years. The Kaurna people were the traditional owners of this land. They called the city area Tarndanya, meaning 'male red kangaroo rock', after a rock formation that no longer exists.

The land was open grassland with patches of trees, managed by the Kaurna people over many generations. They lived in small groups, moving around the area, and had a rich culture with strong traditions.

19th century

Adelaide was founded in 1836 as a planned colony for free settlers. Unlike other Australian cities, it was not a place where criminals were sent. It was named after Queen Adelaide. The city was carefully planned with wide streets and parks.

In the early years, Adelaide faced challenges with leadership and money. However, it gradually grew, with farms producing wool and wheat. Important buildings were constructed, including a hospital and a prison. By the mid-1800s, Adelaide was exporting meat, wool, and wine.

20th century

During the early 1900s, Adelaide became Australia’s third largest city. Electric streetlights and trams were introduced. Many men from Adelaide served in World War I.

After the war, Adelaide experienced growth but also faced tough times during droughts and the Great Depression of the 1930s. The city developed industries, and during World War II, it became an important manufacturing center. New universities and hospitals were established.

21st century

In recent years, Adelaide has seen major improvements in its buildings and public spaces. New developments include an upgraded sports stadium, a new hospital, and expanded tram lines. The city has also become a cultural hub with festivals and events held every year.

Geography

Adelaide is north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, between the Gulf St Vincent and the Mount Lofty Ranges. Mount Lofty is the highest point, standing at 710 metres above sea level. The city stretches 20 kilometres from the coast and 90 kilometres from Gawler to Sellicks Beach. The Adelaide area covers 870 square kilometres, and the larger "Greater Adelaide" area is 3,259.8 square kilometres. The city sits 50 metres above sea level on average.

Much of Adelaide was once bushland with sandhills and swamps near the coast. Efforts have helped restore some areas. The city has parks and nature reserves like Cleland National Park and Belair National Park. Creeks and rivers such as the Torrens and Onkaparinga flow through the region. Water comes from reservoirs including the Happy Valley Reservoir and Mount Bold Reservoir.

Geology

Adelaide is one of Australia’s more active earthquake areas. The largest earthquake happened on 1 March 1954 and measured 5.6 in strength. Smaller quakes have occurred since then.

The Adelaide Hills, part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, have rocks such as siltstone, dolomite, and quartzite from long ago. Most of Adelaide sits in low areas with layers of sand, limestone, and other materials.

Urban layout

Further information: William Light

Adelaide was planned by Colonel William Light. He arranged the city in a grid with five central squares and a ring of parks around it. The design has wide roads and clear directions. There are two main rings of roads: one near the parklands and another around the city.

Suburbs have grown beyond the original plan. New roads like the South Eastern Freeway and Southern Expressway were added for traffic. Public transport, including the O-Bahn Busway, serves the growing areas.

Housing

Main article: Australian residential architectural styles

Traditionally, Adelaide homes were single-storey houses on large blocks. Early houses were often made of stone because timber was scarce. Over time, new styles and materials like red brick and cream brick became popular. Many houses have brick exteriors and concrete foundations.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Adelaide

Adelaide has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Rain is most common in winter, while summer can be dry but sometimes has heavy storms. Frosts are rare, and snow sometimes falls in the nearby hills. Summer temperatures can get very high, and the city is often windy, especially in winter.

Liveability

Adelaide is often listed as one of the world’s most comfortable cities to live in. It was named the third most liveable city globally in 2021 and the twelfth in 2023. In 2021, it also became the world’s second National Park City. It is regularly ranked highly in Australia for quality of life.

Governance

Main article: Government of South Australia

Adelaide is the capital of South Australia, where the state’s government is based. South Australia has two parts to its parliament: a lower house called the House of Assembly and an upper house called the Legislative Council. Elections happen every four years, with the last one in 2022.

Because Adelaide is the biggest city in South Australia, the state government works with the City of Adelaide. In 2006, a special group was made to help the state government work with the Adelaide City Council and the Lord Mayor to improve Adelaide. The state parliament also has a committee that helps plan how Adelaide grows.

South Australia is a state where most decisions are made in the capital. Adelaide has most of the seats in the House of Assembly. Out of 47 seats, 34 are in Adelaide, and two more include parts of Adelaide.

Local governments

Further information: Local government areas of South Australia

The area around Adelaide is split into nineteen local government areas. In the middle of this area is the City of Adelaide, which takes care of the city centre, North Adelaide, and the parklands around the city. This city government is the oldest in Australia, starting in 1840. Since 1919, the city has been led by a Lord Mayor, and the current Lord Mayor is The Right Honourable Jane Lomax-Smith.

Demography

Adelaide's inhabitants are called Adelaideans.

Adelaide is growing at a similar rate to other big Australian cities like Sydney. In 2024, about 1.5 million people lived in the Adelaide area, making it Australia's fifth-largest city. Most people in South Australia live in or around Adelaide.

Many new people have moved to outer suburbs like Mawson Lakes. Adelaide has many homes, with people living in houses, townhouses, and apartments.

Ancestry and immigration

At the 2021 census, the most common ancestries were:

• English (35.7%)
• Australian (29.2%)
• Scottish (7.9%)
• Irish (7.5%)
• Italian (7.1%)
• German (6.3%)
• Chinese (4.5%)
• Indian (3.3%)
• Greek (2.9%)
• Vietnamese (1.7%)
• Australian Aboriginal (1.6%)
• Dutch (1.6%)
• Filipino (1.4%)
• Polish (1.3%)

Many people in Adelaide were born in other countries. The largest groups come from England, India, Mainland China, Vietnam, and Italy.

Different communities live in different parts of Adelaide. For example, Greek and Italian people live in suburbs like Newton, Payneham, and Campbelltown. Vietnamese people live in areas like Woodville and Kilkenny. People from India and Sri Lanka live in inner northern and southern suburbs. Afghan communities are in suburbs like Para Hills and Salisbury. Chinese migrants often live in eastern and north-eastern suburbs. Mawson Lakes has many international students because it is close to the University of South Australia.

At the 2021 census, 1.7% of Adelaide's population identified as Indigenous — Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.

Language

At the 2016 census, 75.4% of people spoke English at home. Other common languages spoken at home included Italian, Standard Mandarin, Greek, Vietnamese, and Cantonese. The Kaurna language, once spoken by the traditional owners of the area, had no living speakers by the middle of the last century. But since the 1990s, people have been working to bring the language back to life.

Religion

Adelaide was started with an idea of welcoming people of all religions. About 28% of people in Adelaide said they did not follow any religion in the 2011 Census. In 2021, 39.8% of people identified as Christian. The largest Christian groups were Catholic (16.4%), Anglican (7.0%), Uniting Church (3.9%), and Greek Orthodox (2.4%). Other religions represented include Islam (2.8%), Hinduism (2.7%), and Buddhism (2.3%).

Economy

Health care and helping people are now the biggest jobs in South Australia, even bigger than making things. In 2009–10, making things gave work to 83,700 people, but helping people gave work to 103,300.

Wine made in the Adelaide Hills is very important for South Australia and for Australia. In 2014, people crushed red grapes worth about A$8 million and white grapes worth about A$15 million.

Selling things in shops is the second biggest job giver in South Australia. In 2009–10, this gave more than 91,900 jobs.

Making cars, working with new technology, and selling things to other countries all help South Australia’s economy. Almost half of all cars made in Australia were made in Adelaide at the Holden Elizabeth Plant in Elizabeth, but it stopped working in November 2017.

The big company News Corporation started in Adelaide, and even though it moved, the city is still very important to the company. Other big companies like Santos, Coopers, and Harris Scarfe also started in Adelaide.

In 2018, Adelaide was chosen to be the home of the new Australian Space Agency. It opened in 2020 and is working to grow the space industry and create many new jobs by 2030.

Defence industry

Adelaide has many jobs that help protect Australia. These jobs add more than A$1 billion to South Australia’s money. Important places for this work are north of Salisbury and west of Elizabeth, in an area called “Edinburgh Parks”, close to RAAF Base Edinburgh.

Other companies work in or near Technology Park. ASC Pty Ltd is in the industrial area of Osborne and is also part of Technology Park. South Australia helped build Australia’s special submarines and is also building new ships for the navy.

Employment statistics

As of November 2015, the jobless rate in Greater Adelaide was 7.4%, and for young people it was 15%.

In 2006, the average weekly pay for a person aged 15 or older was $447. The average weekly pay for a family was $1,137. Living and housing in Adelaide costs less than in other big Australian cities.

House prices

From March 2001 to March 2010, the price of houses in Adelaide went up by about three times. From March 2007 to March 2012, prices went up by about 27%, and from March 2012 to March 2017, they went up by about 19%.

Education and research

Main article: Education in South Australia

Education is very important in Adelaide, and the city wants to become a top place for learning in Australia. Many students from other countries study here.

There are two types of schools in Adelaide: public schools run by the government and private schools. All schools follow the same learning plan for students from reception to Year 10. In Years 10 to 12, students work towards a certificate and can also choose special courses.

Adelaide has two big public universities, one private university, and colleges from other countries. The universities are very well known around the world. There are also many places for adult learning and training, including art schools and technical colleges.

Adelaide is also a place for important research with many institutes studying health, plants, wine, and more. These research centers are spread out across the city.

Cultural life

See also: South Australia § Cultural life, Department of the Premier and Cabinet (South Australia) § Arts and culture, and List of festivals in Australia § South Australia

Adelaide began as a British settlement but welcomed people from many parts of Europe, including Germany. In 1838, German families arrived and brought grapevines that helped start the famous wineries in the Barossa Valley.

The Royal Adelaide Show is a big yearly fair that began in 1839. It's a fun event held at the Adelaide Showground.

Adelaide's arts grew in the 1960s and 1970s. The Adelaide Festival of Arts began in 1960, and soon after, the Adelaide Fringe started. Many other festivals joined over time, like the Adelaide Film Festival. Early March is a busy time with many events, called "Mad March."

In 2014, the Adelaide Language Festival began.

Adelaide has many cultural events, like the German Schützenfest and Greek Glendi. Every year, it hosts a big Christmas parade.

North Terrace institutions

Adelaide has many important cultural places, especially along North Terrace. The Art Gallery of South Australia has many artworks. Nearby are the South Australian Museum and the State Library of South Australia. Other places nearby include the Adelaide Botanic Garden, National Wine Centre, and Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute. The Migration Museum is also there.

Performing arts venues

The Adelaide Festival Centre is a key place for cultural events, with theatres like the Dunstan Playhouse and Festival Theatre. Other venues for music and theatre include the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide Oval, and Thebarton Theatre.

Music

Further information: Music of Adelaide

Adelaide is known for its live music. Many famous music groups and singers come from Adelaide, like the rock band Cold Chisel, pop singer Sia, and the Australian Pink Floyd Show.

Television

Adelaide has many television channels, including ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, and 10. These channels broadcast different programs. Adelaide's analogue television service stopped in 2013.

Radio

For a more comprehensive list, see List of radio stations in Australia § Adelaide.

Adelaide has many radio stations, with digital radio broadcasting since 2009. There are choices from commercial, community, and national stations.

Sport

Main article: Sport in South Australia

The main sports played in Adelaide are Australian Rules football, soccer, cricket, netball, and basketball. Adelaide has two Australian Football League teams: the Adelaide Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club. There is also one A-League soccer team, Adelaide United. A local league, the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), has teams from around Adelaide. The SANFL is the oldest football league in Australia.

Adelaide has two basketball teams. The men's team is the Adelaide 36ers and the women's team is the Adelaide Lightning. The Adelaide 36ers play at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre and the Adelaide Lightning play at the Adelaide Arena. Adelaide also has a netball team, the Adelaide Thunderbirds, which plays at Netball SA Stadium.

Since 1999, Adelaide has hosted the Tour Down Under bicycle race. It is the largest cycling race outside Europe.

The Australian Grand Prix for Formula One racing was held in Adelaide until 1995. Now, the Adelaide 500 for V8 Supercar racing takes place there.

Infrastructure

Transport

Main article: Transport in Adelaide

Adelaide is an important place for transport because it is in the middle of Australia. The city has a public transport system called the Adelaide Metro. It has buses, 7 commuter rail lines, and trams that go between suburbs like Hindmarsh, the city centre, and places near the sea like Glenelg. Roads in Adelaide are easy to use, with wide streets and a good layout.

The city has one freeway and several expressways. These include the South Eastern Freeway, which goes to Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend, and the Southern Expressway, which connects southern suburbs to the city centre.

Airports

Adelaide has two main airports: Adelaide Airport for lots of passengers, and Parafield Airport for smaller planes and training. There is also a military airport called RAAF Base Edinburgh in the northern suburbs.

Health

Adelaide has big hospitals, like the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Flinders Medical Centre. These hospitals help people stay healthy and work with universities to train doctors. There are also many smaller hospitals in the city.

Energy

Adelaide gets its electricity from different places, such as gas power stations, wind farms, and solar power. The city has wind farms that give a lot of power to South Australia. After some problems with power in 2016, a big battery was built to help keep the lights on.

Water

Adelaide’s water comes from places like Mount Bold and Happy Valley. When there is not enough rain, water is brought in from the River Murray. The city also has a big plant that can make extra water when needed.

Communications

Adelaide has free Wi-Fi in many parts of the city centre. It started in 2014 and was made better in 2023 to cover more areas.

City of Adelaide

Main article: City of Adelaide (1864)

The City of Adelaide was a famous ship that was saved from a shipwreck in Glasgow in 1991. The ship arrived in Port Adelaide in 2014 and moved to its new home in 2024. It is now a special attraction in Port Adelaide’s inner harbour.

Sister cities

The City of Adelaide has worked with cities around the world since 1972. As of 2023, it has special partnerships with five cities, called sister cities. These partnerships help share ideas in culture, learning, business, and technology. The sister cities are:

• Austin, Texas, United States, since 1983
• Christchurch, New Zealand, since 1972
• George Town, Penang, Malaysia, since 1973
• Himeji, Hyogo, Japan, since 1982
• Qingdao, Shandong, China, since 2013

Three other cities are friendship cities. These are informal partnerships to support friendly relationships:

• Dalian, Liaoning, China
• Chengdu, Sichuan, China