Celebrating 50 Years

Rundle Mall 50 Years

📍60 King William, Lobby

📅14 September to 14 October

🕛Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm

Image info: Trolley buses, Christmas pageants, the 1954 Royal Visit with of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip and cars are among the sights and events captured in the collection.

As Rundle Mall marks its 50th anniversary in 2026, this exhibition reflects on a transformative moment in Adelaide’s urban and cultural history. Opened on 1 September 1976, Rundle Mall redefined the way people moved through, gathered within, and experienced the city centre. Drawing from the State Records of South Australia archive, a rich collection of photographs and moving image footage offers a rare glimpse into the precinct before its pedestrianisation, when it remained part of the bustling thoroughfare of Rundle Street. Together, these archival fragments reveal the evolving rhythms of city life and capture the social, commercial, and civic significance of one of Adelaide’s most enduring public spaces.

Frank Hurley Exhibition

📍GPO Exchange, 10 Franklin St, Lobby

📅14 September to 14 October

🕛Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm

Step back in time with a rare collection of historic photographs capturing Adelaide and regional South Australia 90 years ago. Presented in the foyer of the GPO Exchange on Franklin Street, this exhibition showcases the work of renowned Australian photographer Frank Hurley, whose images offer a remarkable glimpse into the state's past.

The collection features iconic Adelaide landmarks including Victoria Square, North Terrace, St Peter's Cathedral and the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, alongside striking regional scenes from the Riverland, Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide Hills.

Taken in 1935 by Frank Hurley, celebrated for documenting Sir Douglas Mawson's Antarctic expeditions and Sir Ernest Shackleton's explorations in the early twentieth century, these photographs were originally commissioned as part of South Australia's centenary celebrations in 1936.

Through Hurley's distinctive lens, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the people, places and landscapes that helped shape South Australia's identity, offering a fascinating visual record of a bygone era.

PARTNERS 

State Records of South Australia is the custodian of the State's official archives, preserving permanent records created by South Australian state and local government agencies. Established in 1919, the collection comprises more than 13 million records, providing a rich and invaluable resource documenting the history and development of South Australia.

The archive includes a diverse range of materials, from hospital records, building plans and maps to public sector employment files, migration records, government administration documents and royal visit plans. These records are regularly accessed by researchers, historians and members of the public seeking information for family history, local heritage projects, legal matters and other research purposes.

Beyond preserving the State's documentary heritage, State Records provides leadership and guidance to government agencies on information management, including policy development relating to records management, freedom of information, copyright and privacy.

State Records' Research Centre, located at 115 Cavan Road, Gepps Cross, is open to the public by appointment from Tuesday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm.

For more information, visit archives.sa.gov.au and scan the QR code to view Here is Paradise: A Tour of the Garden State of South Australia, a historic film celebrating South Australia's landscapes, communities and heritage.