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Rundle Mall

Photograph of Rundle Mall, Adelaide circa 1988, with Spheres sculpture clearly visible.


Adelaide is the capital of South Australia of the Australia, located in the middle of a fertile valley, at the mouth of the river Torrens. The city lies on a coastal plain, 12 km from the East Bank of the Saint Vincent Gulf.

The city has 1,071,100 inhabitants, located mainly in and around the city centre. Adelaide was founded in the first half of the 18th century, by English Nobles of the South Australian Association, who wished to create an exclusive enclave. Adelaide stands on both banks of the river. It was built to a precise urban plan, in order to create an “English Garden City” . Adelaide is a city that has to be savoured slowly by its visitors. It is easy to travel around and discover. The streets, which intersect at right angles, create a square -grid formation around the two main centres: the retail and shopping centre, which is located South of the river and the residential and industrial centre in the North. The city is laid out in an orderly and tidy manner, with wide tree-lined streets and ample public spaces and parks.

A green belt of enormous eucalyptus trees, forms a natural barrier separating the centre from the suburbs. The suburbs are a tranquil and conservative area,with sober and elegant architecture,dominated by space and light.

The intersection of North Terrace with King William Street, forms the most important crossroads in Adelaide. From here, with only a few minutes walk, it is possible to find all the major attractions of the city.

Adelaide is an easy city to travel around, with buses and trains being the most frequently used means of transport. However, there is a tram service that provides a service that links Victoria Square, in the city centre to the seaside suburbs of Glenelg. Train, tram and bus timetables are available from Trans Adelaide offices.

Tickets can be bought directly on board the buses and trams, or from newsagents in the centre or out-lying areas. Automatic ticket- vending machines are located at the Adelaide railway station or at the STA office, on the corner of King William Street and Currie Street.

From Victoria Square, it is possible to catch the free “Bee Line” bus service, which runs through the main shopping areas following the route: King Willliam Street, via North Terrace to George Street, returning via Hindley Street, West Terrace, North Terrace and King Willliam Street. The buses depart every ten minutes, from those bus stops which have a bee painted upon them, Monday to Thursday from 8am to 6pm, Friday from 8am to 7pm, Saturday from 8am to 5pm.

Adelaide is the departure point of the Transcontinental Railway, which crosses the whole country, passing through Alice Springs in the Northern Territory and finally finishing in Darwin.


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Hotels and lodging

Attractions

The museums and art galleries are concentrated around North Terrace, which also boasts a botanical garden, casino,and railway station. North Terrace is also the location of Ayer’s House, a castle built in 1846; The Old Parliament House, one of the oldest houses in the city and now the site of the Museum of the Constituion and The Festival Centre, site of the most important Australian Artistic Fesitival, which is held biannually. The Governors Palace, built in 1840 and surrounded by picturesque gardens, is only a short distance from North Terrace.

Adelaide is the official seat of the Archbishop and is the site of Trinity Chuch, the first Anglican church in Southern Australia. Saint Peter’s Cathedral, built in 1876, stands near the panoramic view-point of Montefiore Hill.

Rundle Street is the city’s main street, its pedestrian area runs from King William Street to Pulteney Street and is lined with shops, cafés and restaurants.

Adelaide is a large cultural centre and hosts many internationally important festivals. It has a university, further education facilities(mining and agricultural research) and various museums. The Museum of Classical Archaeology, The South Australian Museum, a natural history museum, with the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal hand-made crafts and tools, The South Australian Museum of Art, which hosts Australian and international exhibitions and The Museum of Immigration , which provides its visitors with a cross-sectional history of this region

Shopping

Maps and transportation

Getting to Adelaide

Exploring Adelaide

Adelaide is ideally situated in a rich fertile valley, surrounded by rolling hills, where the vineyards, that produce the best Australian wines are planted. It is the ideal departure point for trips to the Barossa Valley, Australia’s main wine region,which is located about half an hour’s drive away by car. The Barossa Valley is host to a wine festival which sees entire towns abandoned, in order that the residents may take part in the festivities.

From Adelaide it is also possible to take a day-long trip to Kangaroo Island. A Kendell Airlines small plane will fly you to the island in approximately 45 minutes, from here you continue on by bus to Seal Bay, where colonies of sea lions live undisturbed. Walking along the beach, escorted by numerous sea-gulls, you will visit the Kelly Hill archaeological site, followed by a tasty barbecue in the Australian bush. After lunch, the trip continues with a visit to Flinders Chase National Park and Rocky River Homestead, where kangaroos, ostriches and koalas roam free.

Practical information and resources

Currency : Australian Dollar

Electric suply: 240/250 volts 60 Hertz. Electric plugs are flat, three-pinned and necessitate the use of an adaptor. Climate : Adelaide is a pleasant city, thanks to its Mediterranean climate, with mild Winters and hot Summers. In the hotter months, from December to February, the city can be enjoyed strolling along the beach or among the open-air cafés. In Spring and Autumn, the days are pleasantly mild. Summer sees a maximum temperature in excess of 40 °C,while in Winter this drops to 15 °C.

Language : English, Aborigine

Opening hours : Shops are open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5:30pm. Saturday from 9am to Noon. The banks are open Monday to Thursday, from 9.30am to 5pm The public offices from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5pm

Restaurants

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Nightlife

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Everything else

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External resources

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