Living In Adelaide And South Australia
South AustraliaSouth Australia is the southern, central State on the mainland of the continent of Australia.
It has an area of nearly one million square kilometres and is the driest of the Australian States and Territories. The local population is dependent on water from the River Murray, the only major river in the State. It is the opal capital of the world.
South Australia boasts a diverse range of different landscapes from the Adelaide Hills surrounding the city to the grasslands and valleys of the Fleurieu Peninsula, to the Barossa Valley, or the semi-arid and arid deserts in the north of the State in places such as the Flinders Ranges. There is a marked distinction between the fertile, contained southern half of this state and the harsh, untamed desert of the north. Ninety-nine percent of South Australia’s inhabitants live in Adelaide, the park-blanketed
capital on the fertile southern shoreline.
www.southaustralia.com
Adelaide
If the rest of Australia or any small part were half as beautiful it was a fortunate country.
Mark Twain, 1895
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and home to around 1.1 million people. Australia’s only State capital not established with the use of convict labour, the city has a less commercial feel to it than some of the other capitals and is unspoilt by modern developments. It can be described as an elegant and preserved city which is rich in Aboriginal and European heritage. The wine and festival capital of Australia, Adelaide is one of the most vibrant, stylish and innovative cities in the Southern Hemisphere.
It’s a place to experience the buzz, culture and convenience of a big city without the frustrations. The city is a charming blend of historic buildings, wide streets, numerous shops, street cafés and restaurants. Currently it is home to a mix of young professionals and families who enjoy the many pleasures that this understated city has to offer. It is also becoming an increasingly popular destination for migrants.
It is often referred to as a ‘city within a park’ as it is surrounded by seemingly endless parklands. Designed by Colonel William Light, in his original plan of the city in 1837 the ring of parklands contains 29 parks and incorporates an incredible 45% of the city area. These areas of outstanding beauty and endless recreational opportunities are considered a prized asset to the city and are extremely well maintained. Each park has its own unique character: there are formal rose gardens, wide spaces with grand native and exotic trees, playgrounds and lakes, and numerous sporting fields which provide venues for a diverse range of sporting
activities from archery to cricket.
A range of landscapes surround the city, including the Mount Lofty Ranges and the white sandy beaches and the seas of Gulf St Vincent to the west. This pleasant mix creates a unique Australian city with one of the best city lifestyles to be found anywhere in the world. In the past Adelaide has also been known as the ‘city of churches’ for its large number of beautiful churches built by the early colonists.
It is divided into two parts, Adelaide and North Adelaide, separated by Torrens River which has been cleverly transformed into a beautiful recreational lake. North Adelaide is considered to comprise the more trendy and up-market part of the city. Adelaide airport is about 6km west of the city centre, and the interstate train terminal is just south-west of the city centre in the suburb of Keswick.
Rundle Street is Adelaide’s cosmopolitan centre and a part of the historic East End of Adelaide. It’s full of cafés, hotels, restaurants and small interesting shops. As well as the 40 or so eating outlets, it also has ten hotels, wine bars, a number of offices, around 100 shops and 11 cinema screens.
The East End is also pleasantly situated amongst a number of Adelaide’s popular attractions, including the Botanical Gardens, Wine Centre, Rymill Park, Rundle Mall, and the many cultural highlights and heritage buildings along North Terrace.