Vintage Photos Of South Australia From The Early 20th Century

South Australia is the fourth-largest state in Australia by area and fifth largest by population. It shares borders with all of the other mainland states, and with the Northern Territory. The majority of the population of South Australians live in the capital, Adelaide.

In the mid-19th century, the South Australian economy was booming. The railway arrived in South Australia in 1854. The discovery of rich copper deposits at Burra in 1845 induced a remarkable mining boom and stimulated rapid expansion. The economic growth slowed down at the turn of the 20th century due to high budget deficit, migrations to other states, a severe drought at the end of the 1920s followed by the Great depression.

Here below are some historical photos of South Australia from the 1900s that capture streets, towns, landscapes, and everyday life.

#1 King William Street, looking north from Victoria Square, Adelaide, 1907

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#2 Adelaide Royal Mail coach, circa 1900

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#3 Adelaide to Mannum bus, 1909

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#4 Currie Street, Adelaide, 1907

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#5 Freeling to Adelaide coach, Adelaide, 1909

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#6 H. Motley bird depot, Central Market, Adelaide, 1908

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#7 Laying tram tracks on corner of King William Street and North Terrace, Adelaide, circa 1908

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#8 North Terrace. Horse drawn tram in the foreground, Adelaide, circa 1908

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#9 The Imperial Hotel, corner King William and Grenfell Streets, Adelaide, circa 1905

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#10 The South Australian Hotel, Adelaide, 1907

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#11 Bordertown Institute, circa 1909

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#12 Co’burn Hotel, Cockburn, 1908

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#13 F.G.E. Appelt General Store, Eudunda, circa 1905

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#14 Glenelg Post Office, circa 1910

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#15 Bluston’s Jetty Hotel, Glenelg, circa 1910

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#16 Guest House at Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, circa 1910

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#17 Hahndorf street scenes, circa early 1900s

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#18 Hawker Railway Station, circa 1908

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#19 Patterson Bros Drapers, Norwood, circa early 1900s

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#20 Main Street, Pinnaroo, 1905

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#21 Pipeline laying and workers camp site, South Australia, circa early 1900s

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#22 Point Pass. C. F. Leditschke’s General Store, circa early 1900s

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#23 Great Northern Hotel, Port Augusta, circa early 1900s

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#24 The Hotel marked is Browns Hotel (proprietor G. Lord), Port Germein, circa 1905

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#25 Alexander Street, Port Pirie, 1906

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#26 The building on the left is the railway station, Ellen Street, Port Pirie, circa early 1900s

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#27 Trade Union parade in Ellen Street, Port Pirie, 1905

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#28 Main Street, Renmark, circa 1900s

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#29 Commercial Hotel, Strathalbyn, circa early 1900s

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#30 Fox’s Royal Hotel, Terowie, 1909

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#31 The Commonwealth Railways steam rail car, known as the ‘Coffee Pot’, circa 1910

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#32 Hotel on left and a steamship at the old jetty, Tumby Bay, 1909

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