News

There is currently an application to demolish this Local Heritage Place in Bowden. An attached engineering report recommends demolishing the former shop and dwelling due to “structural flaws.”  Read More »

There is a new application to demolish the locally heritage listed Seawall Apartments at Glenelg for an apartment complex. The residence was built by Ebenezar Ward in 1882 and was used as Holdfast Bay College (preparatory) from 1912-1937. In 2021, there was an intense battle between the developers and local residents who were concerned about the loss of heritage and the overbearing design of the proposed replacement apartments. Unfortunately, many […]  Read More »

In September 2022, the State Commission Assessment Panel granted permission to the YWCA organisation to knock down an 1890s sandstone villa on Hutt Street, to make way for an affordable housing apartment complex. The dwelling formed part of a row of five villas constructed between 1895 and 1898. Although the building had been recommended to be put on the Local Heritage Register, it had no protections, meaning that there was […]  Read More »

Built in 1917, the State Heritage-listed Thebarton Police Barracks replaced the former Police Barracks located between North Terrace and Kintore Avenue. The site at which the new barracks were built had previously been used as an olive orchard. Costing some £16,000 pounds, the Thebarton Police Barracks were described in The Register newspaper as, “magnificent, containing stalls for 50 horses. The floor is paved with hard clinker bricks. Attached to the […]  Read More »

Excerpt from ‘Heritage is about our future as much as the past’, by Stephanie Johnston, published in InDaily, Friday October 14, 2022: “South Australia’s heritage is not so much about the past as it is about the future. Made up of what we have inherited from the past, heritage highlights what we continue to value and appreciate in the present, and what we decide to protect and pass on to […]  Read More »

What if we were to tell you that preventing the demolition of beloved heritage buildings can help us in the urgent fight to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and environmental footprint? There is a growing body of research demonstrating what many of us have long suspected: demolishing historic buildings is not only terrible for our heritage, it is not good news for the environment, either. One US study showed that […]  Read More »

In October 2022, during the council elections, the National Trust of South Australia brought together strong local advocates to discuss how we make the protection of our natural and built heritage prominent issues in our local community, and in the minds of local government candidates. How do we ensure that the voices of local heritage protection are loud, clear, and impossible to ignore? How do we successfully lobby, and work […]  Read More »

On August 5, the State Government announced the formation of a four-person panel to review our planning system. The review will cover: The Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. The Planning and Design Code (and related instruments) “as it relates to infill policy, trees, character, heritage and car parking”. The e-planning system “with a view to ensuring that it is delivering an efficient and user-friendly process and platform”. The PlanSA […]  Read More »

There is currently an application to demolish a Local Heritage Place in St Georges. The dwelling was built in 1919 for F.M Duncan of the Duncan & Fraser vehicle manufacturing company. It is an early example of the popular Californian bungalow style. According to engineering and heritage assessment reports, the existing dwelling is “irredeemably beyond repair” and is of “low heritage value”.  Read More »

An application to demolish a Local Heritage Place in Unley has unfortunately been approved. The existing dwelling has some serious structural defects and has been deemed “past the end of its serviceable life” in engineering reports. The owners do appear have a genuine affinity with the building and it is understandable why they have applied to demolish it considering its poor state. Nevertheless, it will still be sad to see […]  Read More »

There is currently an application to replace this turn of the century bluestone dwelling in Kensington Park with a three-storey dental clinic. Unfortunately, the existing building has no heritage protections at all. It is shocking that the new Planning and Design Code allows owners to demolish handsome character homes, such as this, without needing any development approval. 122 years of history lost without so much as public consultation!  Read More »

A developer recently lodged an application to demolish this charming 136-year old bluestone villa in Fullarton, to be replaced by two contemporary-style dwellings. The building was subject to another development application in June of last year, with a staggering 70 plus individuals objecting to its demolition. Despite being in a Historic Area Overlay, the dwelling was approved for demolition at the time. The dwelling was most recently sold in November […]  Read More »

Built circa 1886, 158 Stephen Terrace, Walkerville, affectionately known as Aviemore, was the family home of notorious Australian aviators Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith. It was also briefly inhabited by George Arthur Goyder, son of Surveyor General George Woodroffe Goyder. An article published in the Register shortly after the tragic death of Sir Ross in 1922 reads: “Aviemore, Stephen Terrace, Walkerville, is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew […]  Read More »

The Regal Theatre opened in 1925 and was originally known as the Princess Theatre. The cinema was designed by noted architect Christopher Arthur Smith for the National Picture Theatre chain. It originally showed silent films and pantomimes that were accompanied by the Princess Theatre Orchestra. In 1941, it was remodelled to its current Art Deco style and renamed the Ozone. In 1963, upon hearing that the cinema was about to […]  Read More »

The Rosary School Hall was established by the Dominican Sisters in 1908 and was built by Woods Bagot. The hall served as the Rosary School’s original school building and as the Catholic church for the Prospect area until 1937. Despite its relative importance, the building is neither locally nor state heritage listed. In May 2022, the school revealed plans which would see the near total demolition of the school hall […]  Read More »

The Jubilee Exhibition Building was once the grandest building to line the North Terrace cultural boulevard. It was built in 1887 on the land of the Kaurna people, who have lived on the Adelaide Plains for over 60,000 years. The Jubilee Exhibition Building replaced an earlier, more humble exhibition building constructed in 1860. The idea for a new, grand exhibition building was first proposed in 1883. The building would house […]  Read More »

In October 2021, renowned historian, Professor Norman Etherington, launched his ‘50-Year Plan For Adelaide’, a bold vision for the future of Adelaide, at the National Trust’s ‘Planning Beyond Tomorrow’ public forum. At a time of growing disillusionment with our planning system’s erosion of heritage protections and community rights, Professor Etherington’s report puts forward a number of ambitious but necessary proposals that prioritise the values of open, green space; the protection […]  Read More »

150 people from across the community joined the National Trust of South Australia’s ‘Heritage For The People’ State Election Forum, which happened online, on February 15, 2022. Candidates were quizzed about a range of topics relating to built and natural heritage, climate change, and planning policy. We were joined by Dr. Susan Close, Labor Deputy-Leader; Greens MLC, Robert Simms; SA Best MLC Frank Pangallo; and Independent MP for Waite, Sam […]  Read More »

  The Jade Monkey building at 29 Twin Street in Adelaide was the subject of an intense heritage battle in 2012. At the time it was a very popular and successful live music venue, which had its lease terminated when the owners received approval to build a budget hotel next door. Thousands of live music devotees and heritage building fans made long and loud protests to the government, Adelaide City […]  Read More »