I’m not sure about you but I LOVE doing a bit of research before I go on a trip; I just enjoy knowing about a place before I visit it.
Kaurna People
Before the arrival of Europeans, the land Adelaide now sits on was run and lived on by the Kaurna tribe. They called the land Tarntanya meaning Place of the Red Kangaroo. Generations of Kaurna people worked on the land and cultivated it to the open grassy plain Europeans settled. Kaurna people had a sophisticated culture and deep knowledge of the environment their land encompassed.European Settlement
In the early 1800s, whalers and sealers began to converge along Adelaide’s coastline, ultimately leading to the decision to colonize the area. The settlement was to be comprised of free colonisers and not convicts. Finally founded in 1836, William Light established the city of Adelaide. He chose a pocket of land 12km from the shore that was situated along the ‘bank of a beautiful stream.’ His choice of location fell under scrutiny at first, however, it didn’t take long for people to see Adelaide’s beauty.Acknowledgement of Aboriginal Land Rights
The Letters Patent, which defined South Australia as a British province, recognised the land rights of the Aboriginal people occupying the land. However, the colonisers ignored the clause and continued to settle the land with no regard for the Kaurna people. No treaty was laid, land was sold to colonists, and Aboriginal people were dispossessed. In 2018, the Kaurna people were recognised as the native title holders for lands around Adelaide, making Adelaide the first capital city in Australia to recognize native title holders.20th Century
Before entering the 20th century, Adelaide suffered a severe economic depression and the early 1900s were a time of regrowth. At the turn of the century, electric streetlights were introduced, and the electric tram service began running. By the end of WWII, the Adelaide CBD had begun to look like it does today. Roads had been widened to accommodate cars, lights lined the streets and the entire CBD road network had been sealed with bitumen. As the 1960s rolled around, Adelaide was suffering from declining population numbers. People were leaving in droves and reports showed that the city was at risk of losing its entire population outside of the childless wealthy. Smart thinking and the refurbishment of derelict sites saw life return to Adelaide.
View this post on Instagram
Beehive Corner 🐝 has long been a favorite meeting spot in the Adelaide CBD. But did you know before construction on the current Beehive Corner began in 1895, the building was home to a drapery store known as ‘The Bee Hive’. #DesignedforLife #MyAdelaide 📷: @tales.out.thereA post shared by City of Adelaide (@cityofadelaide) on Sep 12, 2019 at 1:30am PDT
Adelaide Today
Today, Adelaide is a bustling metropolis. Though not as large as Sydney or Melbourne, it has just as much on offer. Beautiful heritage buildings line the main streets and public art is scattered through the CBD. Always hosting a festival or event and never letting a bad mood ruin a good night, Adelaide is fun, vibrant and intoxicatingly bright.If you’re keen to learn more, keep your eye out for plaques and signage on heritage buildings around Adelaide’s CBD. Or go on a self-guided historic walking tour of the city - you can get maps from visitor information centres, or download them to your phone from the City of Adelaide website. Alternatively, book on to one of the many guided tours available!Check out Last Minute Day Tours for their best value Adelaide Tours!
Recommended Day Tour: Half Day Adelaide City Tour
This post was originally posted on https://lastminutedaytoursaustralia.wordpress.com/2019/10/11/a-brief-history-of-adelaide/