This is a Timeline of South Australian history.

Pre 1836

*18,000 BC: Evidence of flint mining activity and rock art in the Koonalda Cave on the Nullarbor Plain. *1627: First recorded European sighting of the South Australian coast. *1802: South Australian coastline mapped by

Matthew Flinders Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British navigator and cartographer who led the first inshore circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then called New Holland. He is also credited as being the first person to u ...

und Nicolas Baudin. *1802 (Circa): Unofficial settlement of Kangaroo Island by sealers. *1830: Captain Charles Sturt travels to the mouth of the Murray River in a whale boat. *1831: Captain Collet Barker explores the

Adelaide Plains The Adelaide Plains (Kaurna name Tarndanya) is a plain in South Australia lying between the coast (Gulf St Vincent) on the west and the Mount Lofty Ranges on the east. The southernmost tip of the plain is in the southern seaside suburbs of Ade ...

and climbs to the summit of Mount Lofty.

1800s

1830s

*1836: South Australia proclaimed by Governor

John Hindmarsh Rear-Admiral Sir John Hindmarsh KH (baptised 22 May 1785 – 29 July 1860) was a naval officer and the first Governor of South Australia, from 28 December 1836 to 16 July 1838. Family His grandfather William Hindmarsh was a gardener in Con ...

on 28 December at the Old Gum Tree, Glenelg. *1836: Site for Adelaide chosen by Colonel William Light beside the River Torrens. *1837: Colonel Light completes survey of Adelaide city centre and designs the city's grid layout. Allotments of are made. *1837: First regional town, Gawler, is founded north of Adelaide. *1837: Adelaide's first hospital opens on North Terrace. *1838: The first

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

n police force is formed in Adelaide, the South Australia Police. *1838: Overlanders

Joseph Hawdon Joseph Hawdon (14 November 1813 – 12 April 1871) was a pioneer settler and overlander of Australia, and pioneer and politician of New Zealand. Early life Hawdon was born at Wackerfield, Durham, England, the son of John Hawdon. At the suggest ...

and

Charles Bonney Charles Bonney (31 October 1813 – 15 March 1897) was a pioneer and politician in Australia. Early life Bonney was the youngest son of the Rev. George Bonney, a fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge, and his wife Susanna, née Knight. He was born ...

arrive in Adelaide from New South Wales with 300 head of cattle. *1838: First German immigrants arrive and settle in Adelaide and surrounds. *1839: Colonel Light dies at Thebarton and is interred in Light Square beneath a memorial. He is the only person buried within "the square mile". *1839: The first road in South Australia, Port Road, is opened. *1839: Edward John Eyre begins his explorations of the Flinders Ranges and beyond.

1840s

*1840: The first portion of Government House is completed, becoming the first in Australia. *1840: Royal Adelaide Show held for the first time. *1840: The Corporation of Adelaide is founded as the first municipal authority in Australia. *1840: All 26 survivors of the shipwreck ''Maria'' are murdered by Aboriginals in mysterious circumstances along the Coorong. *1841: Construction of Adelaide Gaol begins. *1841: Adelaide Hospital (later Royal) opened. *1842: Copper is discovered at Kapunda. *1843: The first Legislative Council building opens on North Terrace. *1844: The colonial Government takes control of the Corporation of Adelaide. *1845: Copper is discovered at Burra. *1845: Port Pirie founded on the upper

Spencer Gulf The Spencer Gulf is the westernmost and larger of two large inlets (the other being Gulf St Vincent) on the southern coast of Australia, in the state of South Australia, facing the Great Australian Bight. It spans from the Cape Catastrophe and ...

. *1846: John Ainsworth Horrocks dies while exploring land to the northwest of Lake Torrens. *1847: St Peter's College established. *1848: Pulteney Grammar School established.

1850s

*1850: The forerunner to Harris Scarfe, G. P. Harris and J. C. Lanyon, opened on Hindley Street. *1852: The Corporation of Adelaide is reconstituted. First transport of gold overland arrived in Adelaide. *1854: The township of

Port Augusta Port Augusta is a small city in South Australia. Formerly a port, seaport, it is now a road traffic and Junction (rail), railway junction city mainly located on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf immediately south of the gulf's head and about ...

at the head of

is surveyed. *1854: The township of Gambierton, later Mount Gambier is founded in the South East. *1855: James Macgeorge lays telegraph line between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. *1856: The South Australian Institute, from which the State Library, State Museum and

Art Gallery An art gallery is a room or a building in which visual art is displayed. In Western cultures from the mid-15th century, a gallery was any long, narrow covered passage along a wall, first used in the sense of a place for art in the 1590s. The lon ...

derived, is founded. *1856: Government telegraph line and steam railway between Adelaide and Port Adelaide opened. *1856: South Australia becomes one of the first places in the world to enact the

Secret Ballot The secret ballot, also known as the Australian ballot, is a voting method in which a voter's identity in an election or a referendum is anonymous. This forestalls attempts to influence the voter by intimidation, blackmailing, and potential vote ...

. *1857: Adelaide Botanic Gardens opened at today's site in the Parklands at the corner of North and East Terraces. *1858: Melbourne-Adelaide telegraph line opened. *1858: The first edition of The Advertiser newspaper is published. *1859: A jetty of more than 350 metres in length is constructed at Glenelg. *1859: Shipwreck of SS Admella off Carpenter Rocks in the South East. 89 dead. Worst maritime disaster to this day.

1860s

*1860: Thorndon Park Reservoir supplied water through new reticulation system. *1861: East Terrace markets opened. *1861: Copper discovered at

Moonta Moonta may refer to: Places *Moonta, South Australia, a locality in the Copper Coast Council including: ** East Moonta ** Moonta Bay ** Moonta Cemetery ** Moonta Mines ** North Moonta *Corporate Town of Moonta The Corporate Town of Moonta was ...

, on the Yorke Peninsula. *1862:

John McDouall Stuart John McDouall Stuart (7 September 18155 June 1866), often referred to as simply "McDouall Stuart", was a Scottish explorer and one of the most accomplished of all Australia's inland explorers. Stuart led the first successful expedition to tra ...

successfully crosses the continent from north to south on his sixth attempt. *1863: First gas supplied to city. *1864–1867: Great drought *1865: Bank of Adelaide founded. *1866: The Italianate

Adelaide Town Hall Adelaide Town Hall is a landmark building on King William Street in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The City of Adelaide Town Hall complex includes the Town Hall and the office building at 25 Pirie Street. Description and history Adelai ...

opened. *1866: First oil exploration in Australia at Alfred Flat near Salt Creek, along the Coorong. *1867: Prince Alfred,

Duke of Edinburgh Duke of Edinburgh, named after the city of Edinburgh in Scotland, was a substantive title that has been created three times since 1726 for members of the British royal family. It does not include any territorial landholdings and does not produc ...

, made first royal visit to Adelaide. *1869: The City Market (later Central) opened on Grote Street. *1869: Prince Alfred College established.

1870s

*1870:

Port Adelaide Football Club Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, Alberton, South Australia. The club's senior men's team plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), where they are nicknamed ...

established. *1871 The South Australian Cricket Association is formed. *1872: The

General Post Office The General Post Office (GPO) was the state postal system and telecommunications carrier of the United Kingdom until 1969. Before the Acts of Union 1707, it was the postal system of the Kingdom of England, established by Charles II in 1660. ...

opened. Adelaide became first Australian capital linked to Imperial London with completion of the Overland Telegraph. *1873: First cricket match played at Adelaide Oval. *1874: The Adelaide Oval is officially opened. *1874: The University of Adelaide founded. *1874: Iron ore mined and smelted at Mt. Jagged, near Victor Harbor, then abandoned. *1875: Adelaide Steamship Company founded. *1876: Adelaide Children's Hospital founded. *1877: The Adelaide Bridge across the Torrens completed. *1877: Copper mines at Burra and Kapunda close. *1878: First horse-drawn trams in Australia commenced operations in the city. *1879: Foundation stone of the University of Adelaide laid.

1880s

*1880: Telephone introduced in South Australia. *1880: Fort Glanville opens. *1880: Reformatory Hulk ''Fitzjames'' commissioned and moored off Largs Bay. *1881: The

Art Gallery of South Australia The Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), established as the National Gallery of South Australia in 1881, is located in Adelaide. It is the most significant visual arts museum in the Australian state of South Australia. It has a collection of ...

opened by

Prince Albert Victor Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale (Albert Victor Christian Edward; 8 January 1864 – 14 January 1892) was the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) and grandson of the re ...

. *1881: Torrens Lake created following the construction of weir. *1881: Coopers Brewery is established. *1881: Drought ruins thousands of farmers on marginal land in the Mid North and Goyder's Line is recognised as the limit to agricultural settlement. *1882: First water-borne sewerage service in Australia commenced. *1882: The City Baths opened on King William Road. *1883: Adelaide Zoological Gardens opened. *1884: Adelaide Trades and Labor Council inaugurated. *1884: Fort Largs opens. *1885: The Adelaide Arcade opens. *1886:

Commercial Bank of South Australia The Commercial Bank of South Australia was a South Australian bank founded in 1878 that failed in February 1886 due to fraudulent loans and transfers by the Manager, Alexander Crooks and Accountant, Alexander McKenzie Wilson. It was also notable f ...

failed in February. *1885: Flinders Column erected at the

Mount Lofty Summit Mount Lofty (, elevation AHD) is the highest point in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges. It is located about east of the Adelaide city centre, within the Cleland National Park in the Adelaide Hills area of South Australia. The mountain's sum ...

. *1887: Express train services between Adelaide and Melbourne commence. *1887: Stock Exchange of Adelaide forms. *1889: School of Mines and Industries opens on North Terrace. *1889: Lead smelters built at Port Pirie.

1890s

*1891: The Central Australia Railway reaches Oodnadatta in the far north. *1892: First public statue, Venus (Venere Di Canova), unveiled on North Terrace. *1892: Following drop in share values, Bank of South Australia taken over by the Union Bank of Australia. *1894: '' Constitutional Amendment (Adult Suffrage) Act 1894'', the world's second Act granting women suffrage and the first granting women the right to stand for parliament passed in

Parliament House Parliament House may refer to: Australia * Parliament House, Canberra, Parliament of Australia * Parliament House, Adelaide, Parliament of South Australia * Parliament House, Brisbane, Parliament of Queensland * Parliament House, Darwin, Parliame ...

on North Terrace. *1896: Moving pictures shown for first time in South Australia at Theatre Royal on Hindley Street. *1896: Happy Valley Reservoir opened. *1896: Adelaide Hospital Board of Management sacked by the Government. The dysfunctional nature of the workplace came to a head when E. Willis Way, no friend of Premier Kingston, was accused of nepotism. *1897:

Constitutional Convention Constitutional convention may refer to: * Constitutional convention (political custom), an informal and uncodified procedural agreement *Constitutional convention (political meeting), a meeting of delegates to adopt a new constitution or revise an e ...

on Federation held in Adelaide. *1899: South Australian contingent leaves Adelaide for the Second Boer War. *1899: State Referendum on Federation: South Australia votes Yes (70.2%).

1900s

*1900: First electricity station opened in South Australia at Grenfell Street. *1901: Adelaide became a state capital upon the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia on 1 January. The Duke and Duchess of York visit. *1901: Whyalla founded on the upper Spencer Gulf as a port for iron ore from the Middleback Ranges. *1904:

Adelaide Fruit and Produce Exchange Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The demo ...

opens in the

East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...

. *1904: State

Flag of South Australia The current state flag of South Australia, was officially adopted by the government of South Australia in 1904. The flag is based on the defaced British Blue Ensign with the state badge located in the fly. The badge is a gold disc featuring a ...

is officially adopted. *1906: Federal Referendum on Senate Elections: South Australia votes Yes (86.99%). *1908: Outer Harbor opens. *1908: Adelaide High School established. *1909: Electric tram services begin.

1910s

*1910: Federal Referendum on Surplus Revenue: South Australia votes No (50.94%). *1911: Federal Referendum on Trade and Commerce: South Australia votes No (61.93%). *1912: The Verco Building, an early 'skyscraper', is built on North Terrace. *1913: Metropolitan abattoirs open. *1913: Federal Referendum on Trade and Commerce: South Australia votes Yes (51.32%). *1914: South Australian troops join their Australian comrades in Europe to fight in the Great War. *1914: Torrens Island Internment Camp opens. *1915: Liquor bars close at 6 pm following referendum, creating the six o'clock swill. *1915: Torrens Island Internment Camp closes. *1915: Four women Justices of the Peace appointed, the first in Australia. *1915: Cheer-up Hut opens 4 November, first anniversary of Cheer-Up Society. *1917: German private schools close because of the Great War. *1917: First trains to Perth following completion of east–west continental railway. *1918: Railway line from Hallett Cove to Willunga opens. *1918: Railway branchline between Balhannah and Mount Pleasant opens. *1919: Adelaide awarded official city status and Mayor became Lord Mayor. *1919: Railway branchline between Monarto South and Sedan opens.

1920s

*1921: Politician

Percy Brookfield Percival Stanley Brookfield (7 August 1875 – 22 March 1921) was an Australian politician and militant trade unionist. He was variously known as Percival Jack Brookfield or Jack Brookfield, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly f ...

is shot at the Riverton railway station and later dies. *1924: 5CL, Adelaide's first AM broadcaster "on the air". *1924: James Stobie invents the

Stobie pole A Stobie pole is a power line pole made of two steel joists held apart by a slab of concrete. It was invented by Adelaide Electric Supply Company engineer James Cyril Stobie (1895–1953). Stobie used readily available materials due to the ...

, now a South Australian icon. *1924: Township of

Murray Bridge Murray Bridge may refer to. *Murray Bridge, South Australia, a city and locality *Rural City of Murray Bridge, a local government area in South Australia *Corporate Town of Murray Bridge, a former local government area in South Australia See also ...

is founded. *1925: Wayville Showgrounds open. *1927: North–south railway extended. *1927: Duke and Duchess of York visit. *1928: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **Yes (62.68%) on

State Debt A country's gross government debt (also called public debt, or sovereign debt) is the financial liabilities of the government sector. Changes in government debt over time reflect primarily borrowing due to past government deficits. A deficit oc ...

*1929: Electric service to Glenelg commences.

1930s

*1932: Local government overhauled when Government redefined boundaries and names and abolished others. *1933: First John Martin's Christmas Pageant

https://web.archive.org/web/20060821071242/http://www.cupageant.com.au/history_first_pageant.html] *1935: Many German place names, which had been changed during the Great War, are restored. *1936: South Australia celebrates its centenary. *1936: South Australian Housing Trust is founded. *1937: First trolley bus services commence. *1937: First permanent traffic signals installed. *1937: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **No (59.87%) on Aviation **No (79.17%) on Marketing *1937: Outbreak of

poliomyelitis Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sym ...

. *1938: South Australian Housing Trust completes first dwelling. *1939: Worst heat wave recorded with disastrous bushfires and highest Adelaide temperature of 47.6° Celsius. *1939: New Parliament House opened on North Terrace by the

Governor-General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

Lord Gowrie.

1940s

*1940:

Birkenhead Bridge The Birkenhead Bridge is a bascule bridge in Adelaide, Australia that crosses the Port River. In February 1938, the Government of South Australia awarded a contract to Adelaide Construction to build a bridge across the Port River from Birkenhead ...

opens. *1940: Ship building begins at Whyalla. *1940: '' Pinguin'' enters South Australian waters, laying sea mines along vital shipping lanes. *1940: Loveday POW camp opens *1942: Rationing of tea and clothing introduced. *1943: Rationing of butter introduced. *1944: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **Yes (50.64%) on Post War Reconstruction and Democratic Rights *1944: Rationing of meat introduced. *1944: {{GS, U-862 attacks the Greek freighter ''Ilissos'' off the Limestone Coast. *1945: Gas and electricity restrictions imposed. *1945: Hills Industries founded. *1946: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **Yes (51.73%) on

Social Services Social services are a range of public services intended to provide support and assistance towards particular groups, which commonly include the disadvantaged. They may be provided by individuals, private and independent organisations, or administe ...

**No (51.26%) on Marketing **No (51.80%) on Industrial Employment *1947: Orchards ripped up following discovery of fruit fly in the metropolitan area. *1948: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **No (57.85%) on Rents and Prices *1948: Glenelg jetty destroyed and widespread damage caused by severe storms. *1948: Clothing and meat rationing abolished. *1948:

Holden Holden, formerly known as General Motors-Holden, was an Australian subsidiary company of General Motors. It was an Australian automobile manufacturer, importer, and exporter which sold cars under its own marque in Australia. In its last thre ...

begins production.

1950s

*1950: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Thomas Playford, holds onto government. *1950: Petrol, butter and tea rationing abolished. *1950: Port Pirie proclaimed South Australia's first provincial city. *1951: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **No (52.71%) on Communists and Communism *1953: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Thomas Playford, holds onto government. *1954: Adelaide is hit by an earthquake causing much property damage but no loss of life. *1954: Queen Elizabeth II makes first sovereign visit to Adelaide. *1954: Mannum–Adelaide pipeline completed, pumping water from the

River Murray The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest r ...

to metropolitan reservoirs. *1955: Adelaide Airport at West Beach opens. *1955: Elizabeth officially proclaimed. *1956: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Thomas Playford, holds onto government. *1958:

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was the l ...

, visits Adelaide. *1958: First parking meters installed. *1958: South Para Reservoir opened and connected to Adelaide water supply. *1958: Last street tram removed, leaving only the Glenelg tram line. *1959: Television broadcasting commences in Adelaide with NWS-9. ADS-7 (now ADS-10) begins broadcasting one month later. *1959: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Thomas Playford, holds onto government.

1960s

*1960:

Adelaide Festival of Arts The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...

held for the first time. *1962: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Thomas Playford, holds onto government. *1963: Port Stanvac oil refinery begins operations. *1963: Queen Elizabeth II visits Adelaide. *1963: Gas discovered in the Cooper Basin. *1964: Record wind gust of 148 kilometres per hour recorded in Adelaide. *1965: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Frank Walsh, wins government for the first time in 33 years. *1965: Television station SAS-10 (Now SAS-7) begins broadcasting. *1966:

Flinders University Flinders University is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across 11 locations in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of British navigator ...

opens at Bedford Park. *1966: Beaumont children go missing at Glenelg beach. *1967: Lotteries commence in South Australia. *1967: Liquor trading hours extended. *1967: Torrens Island Power Station begins operations. *1967: Premier Frank Walsh retires and is replaced by Don Dunstan. *1967: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **Yes (86.26%) on Aboriginals **No (66.09%) on Parliament *1968: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Steele Hall, wins government.

1970s

*1970: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Don Dunstan, wins government. South Australia becomes first state to reform abortion laws. *1971: Fluoridation of water supply commences. *1973: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Don Dunstan, holds onto government. *1973: New hospital opens at Modbury. *1973: Two children disappear from Adelaide Oval and are never seen again. *1973: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **No (58.84%) on Commodity Prices **No (71.75%) on Incomes *1974: Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, visits Adelaide. *1974: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **No (52.86%) on Simultaneous Elections **No (55.74%) on Mode of Altering the Constitution **No (55.89%) on Democratic Elections **No (57.48%) on Local Government Bodies *1975: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Don Dunstan, holds onto government. *1975: The International Equestrian Exposition is held in Adelaide and attended by Princess Anne. *1975: The Adelaide City Council adopts the City of Adelaide Plan. *1976: Rundle Mall, Australia's first pedestrian mall, opens between King William and Pulteney streets. *1977: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visit Adelaide to open the

Adelaide Festival Centre Adelaide Festival Centre, Australia's first multi-purpose arts centre and the home of South Australia's performing arts, was built in the 1970s, designed by Hassell Architects. The Festival Theatre opened in June 1973 with the rest of the centr ...

. *1977: Late night shopping commences. *1977: Federal Referendum - South Australia Votes: **Yes (65.99%) on Simultaneous Elections **Yes (76.59%) on Senate Vacancies **Yes (83.29%) on Referendums **Yes (85.57%) on Retirement of Judges *1978: The remains of seven women are found in bushland near Truro. *1979: Don Dunstan resigns as Premier and is replaced by Des Corcoran. *1979: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by David Tonkin, wins government.

1980s

*1980: Thirty-five homes destroyed in an Adelaide Hills bushfire. *1981: Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, visits Adelaide. *1982: State Election: The Labor Party, led by John Bannon, wins government. *1982: International air services begin at Adelaide Airport. *1983: The

Ash Wednesday fires The Ash Wednesday bushfires, known in South Australia as Ash Wednesday II, were a series of bushfires that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983, which was Ash Wednesday. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by hot ...

claim 28 lives throughout the state. *1983: The Prince and

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was firs ...

visit Adelaide. *1983: Wendy Chapman elected the first woman Lord Mayor of Adelaide. *1984: South Australia officially adopts the current Coat of Arms. *1984: Keswick Railway Terminal opens. *1984: Federal Referendum - South Australia votes: **No (50.02%) on Terms of Senators **No (54.06%) on Interchange of Powers *1985: State Election: The Labor Party, led by John Bannon, holds onto government. *1985: The Adelaide Casino opens in the Adelaide railway station as part of the multimillion-dollar Adelaide Station and Environs Redevelopment (ASER). *1985: The first

Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is an annual motor racing event which is under contract to host Formula One until 2035. One of the oldest surviving motorsport competitions held in Australia, the Grand Prix has moved frequently with 23 different venu ...

held on the Adelaide Street Circuit. *1986: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visit Adelaide. *1986: Pope John Paul II visits Adelaide and holds Mass to a gathering of hundreds of thousands in the East Parklands. *1986: The South Australian Maritime Museum opens. *1986: South Australia celebrates its sesqui-centenary as "Jubilee 150". *1987: The Collins class submarine contract awarded to the

Australian Submarine Corporation ASC Pty Ltd, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation, is an Australian government business enterprise involved with Australian naval shipbuilding, headquartered in Osborne, South Australia. It is notable for the construction and main ...

at Outer Harbor. *1987: The Adelaide Convention Centre opens on North Terrace. *1988: The Prince and Princess of Wales visit Adelaide. *1988: Federal Referendum - South Australia votes: **No (73.24%) on Parliamentary Terms **Yes (69.39%) on Fair Elections **No (70.15%) on Local Government **Yes (73.99%) on Rights and Freedoms. *1989: State Election: The Labor Party, led by John Bannon, holds onto government. *1989: The Bicentennial Conservatory, referred to as "The Crystal Pasty", opens at the Botanic Gardens.

1990s

*1991: State Bank of South Australia collapses plunging South Australia into a debt of $3.1 billion. *1991: The University of South Australia formed from a merger of several institutions. *1991: The $40 million Adelaide Entertainment Centre opened. *1991:

Adelaide Football Club The Adelaide Crows (officially the Adelaide Football Club) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1990. The Crows has fielded a men's team in the Australian Football League (AFL) since ...

enters the AFL after being established in late 1990. *1992: First WOMADelaide, at Botanic Park *1992: John Bannon resigns as Premier and is replaced by Lynn Arnold. *1992: The final edition of The News newspaper is published. *1993: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by Dean Brown, wins government in a landslide. *1993: Poker machines installed for first time in South Australia. *1994: Sunday trading introduced in the Adelaide city centre. *1994: High-speed ferry service from Glenelg to Kangaroo Island begins. *1995: The

is held in Adelaide for the last time. *1995: United Water is contracted to manage Adelaide's water and sewerage systems. *1995: The ''Local Government (Boundary Reform) Act, 1995'' passed to encourage municipal amalgamations, resulting in an overhaul of local government. *1997:

enters the AFL. *1997: State Election: The Liberal Party, led by John Olsen, narrowly holds onto government. *1997: Adelaide Football Club wins its first AFL premiership. *1998: Adelaide Football Club wins its second AFL premiership. *1999: Eight bodies are found in a disused bank vault in

Snowtown Snowtown is a town located in the Mid North of South Australia 145 km (90 miles) north of Adelaide and lies on the main road and rail routes between Adelaide and Perth – the Augusta Highway and Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line. The ...

, further bodies were later found, revealing Australia's worst serial killings. *1999: Federal Referendum - South Australia votes: **No (56.43%) on an

Australian Republic Republicanism in Australia is a popular movement to change Australia's system of government from a constitutional parliamentary monarchy to a republic, replacing the monarch of Australia (currently Charles III) with a president. Republicanism ...

**No (61.90%) on Constitution Preamble.

2000s

*2000: Adelaide-Crafers Highway opened. *2001: John Olsen resigns as Premier and is replaced by Rob Kerin. *2001: Construction of Alice Springs-Darwin track starts. *2001: The National Wine Centre of Australia opens in the north-east of the Adelaide Parklands. *2002: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Mike Rann, narrowly wins government. *2003: The transcontinental railway line from Adelaide to Darwin is completed. *2003: Port Stanvac Oil Refinery closed. *2004: Port Adelaide Football Club wins its first AFL premiership. *2004: First train travels on the completed Adelaide-Darwin railway. *2005: Nine people die in bushfires on the Eyre Peninsula. *2006: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Mike Rann, retains government in a landslide. *2009: Wind gusts of 152 km/h recorded at Adelaide Airport.

2010s

*2010: State Election: The Labor Party, led by Mike Rann, retains government with a reduced majority. *2010: Northern Expressway opened. *2014: State election, Labor Party now led by Jay Weatherill retains government with a further reduced majority *2014:

South Road Superway South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

opened * 2015 Sampson Flat bushfires in January and

2015 Pinery bushfire The 2015 Pinery bushfire was a bushfire that burned from 25 November to 2 December 2015, and primarily affected the Lower Mid North and west Barossa Valley regions immediately north of Gawler in the Australian state of South Australia. At least ...

in November both destroyed houses near Adelaide (the Pinery fire also killed two people)