Art, Culture and Lifestyle - Heritage
Rich and diverse
Be swept away by the colour of art, sounds of the didgeridoo and Dreamtime stories. Savour a delicious Cornish pasty at Moonta or apple strudel in Hahndorf. See the ships come in at Port Adelaide and wander through the historic township. Discover the past in South Australia.
The Kaurna people (pronounced Gar-na) are the traditional owners of the Adelaide Plains. South Australia’s Aboriginal history dates back at least 45,000 years. View the vibrant artwork at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute.
Ancient and living culture
Stay for a film or cultural performance. See the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal antiquities at the South Australian Museum. Take a trip to the Adelaide Hills, dance performances, art exhibition and boomerang painting can give you an idea of what life was like for the Peramangk people in the Hahndorf area.
Art and artefacts
Immerse yourself in history on North Terrace. Stop at war memorials, the Migration Museum, State Library and Art Gallery. Read about the migrants and refugees who sought a better life in South Australia. See historical artefacts, traditional clothing and artwork.
Early settler history
Historic Adelaide Town Hall is on King William Street in Adelaide city. Port Adelaide is the old maritime heart of South Australia and is north of the city. It features some fine, historic buildings and the South Australian Maritime Museum.
Visit Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills. A group of Prussian Lutherans founded the town in 1839. Today it is one of the most popular tourist spots in South Australia. Wander through the boutique shops. Stop for lunch and enjoy an apple strudel for dessert. Pop into the Hahndorf Academy for a mix of art and history. Germans also played a significant role in settling the Barossa Valley.
Heysen’s art
Step inside The Cedars at Hahndorf. Home to the late Sir Hans Heysen, the studio is open to visitors. Heysen was a German migrant and became one of Australia’s most famous artists. His paintings are an important part of South Australia’s heritage.
A mining past
Thousands of Cornish migrants were attracted to work on the “Copper Coast”. The Copper Coast includes the towns of Wallaroo, Burra, Kadina and Moonta on the Yorke Peninsula. Every second year, the coast hosts Kernewek Lowender, one of the world’s largest Cornish festivals. Enjoy the bands, dinner dances and period costume. Go to the film festival or try a Cornish pasty-making workshop. You will have to get in quick because these workshops sell out.
Be touched by another culture and learn about the past. Make these stories part of your next holiday.
Things to do
Here are some great ideas for you to try while you’re in the area.
What's on
There are plenty of art and culture events in South Australia.
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