Tables and chairs in Adelaide Arcade

Adelaide Arcade History Tour

When Adelaide Arcade was first opened in 1885, it was hailed as the most modern shopping precinct in the Southern Hemisphere.

Despite modifications, renovations and even a fire, Adelaide Arcade and adjoining Gay's Arcade remain true to their original ambience and style to this day and are rich with history and stories of yesteryear — including ones of multiple ghosts who call the Arcades home.

The best part is that you can enjoy this self-guided history tour either in the Arcade, or from the comfort of your own home with their interactive website and audio experience.

Are you ready to take the tour?

The first street statue erected in the city on North Terrace is actually a copy of a famous neoclassical work. Based on Italian sculptor Antonio Canova’s ‘Venus’, it was chiselled from Carrara marble by Fraser & Draysey, and presented by Mr W A Horn to Mayor F W Bullock on 3 September 1892.

View page

The South African War Memorial is a life-sized, 3.4 metre tall bronze statue of a mounted infantryman located on the corner of King William Street and North Terrace and is a memorial to all those who fought and fell in the Boer War (11 October 1899 – 31 May 1902).

View page

Adelaide Botanic Garden is a lush oasis in the heart of the city, featuring beautifully landscaped gardens, majestic avenues and stunning architecture over 50 hectares of land.

View page

Bonython Hall is a centrepiece of the University of Adelaide campus and is hard to miss when walking down North Terrace.

View page