Heritage News and Events
- SA Heritage Council news
- Celebrating 150th anniversary of the Overland Telegraph
- State Heritage Places in the Adelaide Botanic Garden
- SA History Festival 2022 with Keith Conlon
- Colonel Light Gardens with Keith Conlon
- Sir Samuel Way Building to be restored
- Thanks Keith Conlon, outgoing Chair of the SA Heritage Council
- Celebrating South Australia's Heritage
- Granite Island Causeway - Statement by Chair of SA Heritage Council
- Heritage Newsletters Archive
- Follow us on Social Media
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Overland Telegraph
2022 is the 150th anniversary of the Overland Telegraph.
The Australian Overland Telegraph Line was a 3,200 km (2,000 mi) telegraph line that connected Darwin with Port Augusta in South Australia. Completed in 1872, the Overland Telegraph Line allowed fast communication between Australia and the rest of the world. It was one of the great engineering feats of 19th-century Australia and was a significant milestone in the history of telecommunication.
Charles Todd, Superintendent of Telegraphs, was the planner, designer, and driving force behind Australia’s greatest infrastructure project, the Overland Telegraph. It was revolutionary. He successfully reimagined communication with Europe and the world.
The Overland Telegraph 150 year celebration website
A dedicated webpage has been established to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Overland Telegraph.
Click here to view this website.
Symposium
On Thursday 21 July 2022, the OT-150 Symposium will be held and will feature a kaleidoscope of speakers presenting newly researched information about the Overland Telegraph Line, what preceded it, the heroic efforts to build it and what followed.
It will be opened by the Governor, the Honourable Frances Adamson AC and facilitated by Keith Conlon OAM, Chair of the South Australian Heritage Council.
Book here for OT 150 Symposium
In Charles Todd's footsteps through Adelaide
On 15 May 2022, as part of the History Festival, Keith Conlon OAM, Chair of the SA Heritage Council, and Richard Venus conducted a guided walk “from clock to clock” through central Adelaide in Charles Todd’s footsteps, looking at heritage buildings and telling stories of his contributions to South Australia.
You can read about this walking tour here.
State Heritage Places to visit
It’s a great time to visit some of the places connected to this revolutionary communication system.
There are five State Heritage Places connected with the Overland Telegraph:
- Electra House The South Australia Heritage Places database (maps.sa.gov.au)
- Adelaide GPO The South Australia Heritage Places database (maps.sa.gov.au)
- Strangways Repeater station The South Australia Heritage Places database (maps.sa.gov.au)
- The Peake Repeater station The South Australia Heritage Places database (maps.sa.gov.au)
- Beltana Repeater Station The South Australia Heritage Places database (maps.sa.gov.au)
Find out more information about Strangways here
Find more about the history of Beltana Telegraph Station here
Overland Telegraph on the radio
Keith Conlon spoke with ABC's Angela Coe on radio about the Overland Telegraph. You can listen via this link. Scroll to the 38 minute mark of the recording and enjoy!
State Heritage Places in the Adelaide Botanic Garden
The Adelaide Botanic Garden is full of beautiful plants, clean air and a great place to eat and meet friends and family. It also is rich in built heritage! Read about the eleven State Heritage Places within the Adelaide Botanic Garden here.
SA History Festival 2022
The South Australian History Festival was held during May 2022 with many great events to attend.
Thanks to Keith Conlon OAM, Chair of the SA Heritage Council for his involvement in:
- a talk about the Top 20 Heritage Snaps photos of 2021 in the Adelaide Arcade,
- a walking tour in the city with engineering historian Richard Venus to celebrate visionary Charles Todd and the Overland Telegraph,
- a history and heritage talk in the pub with historian Patricia Sumerling.
Watch this short video with Keith Conlon, Chair of the South Australian Heritage Council, promoting the History Festival and showcasing Heritage SnAps Photo Competition 2021.
Thanks to the History Trust of South Australia, Channel 44 Adelaide and the Adelaide Arcade.
Colonel Light Gardens with Keith Conlon
Before ANZAC Day 2020, Keith Conlon spoke to David Bevan on ABC Radio Adelaide about Colonel Light Gardens and its strong World War 1 connections.
Keith is Chair of the South Australian Heritage Council.
Just prior to its layout in 1921, the Grange Farm, (purchased by the State Government), became a major World War 1 army training camp 1915-1920. After the war there was a shortage of housing with so many soldiers returning home, and so the government introduced the Thousand Home Scheme, the first major public housing scheme in Australia. About 700 were built in the new suburb in the 1920s.
The South Australian Heritage Council proposed it be a State Heritage Area and it was declared as such in 2000.
Sir Samuel Way Building to be restored
Often seen in TV news bulletins, the Sir Samuel Way Building in Victoria Square was in its own news story in November 2020. ABC TV News Report Alina Eacott talked to the Chair of the South Australian Heritage Council, Keith Conlon, about its origins as a grand department store in 1916 and the huge blaze which gutted the building in 1948.
One of the best known State Heritage Places, the building exterior will be restored, thanks to a decision through the November 2020 State Government Budget.
Thanks Keith Conlon, outgoing Chair of the SA Heritage Council
A big thank you to Keith Conlon for his time, wisdom, energy and enthusiasm in his time as Chair of the SA Heritage Council.
Keith' contribution to Heritage in his five years as Chair was tremendous. So much great promotion of South Australia's heritage, and great leadership of the Council.
Keith chaired his first meeting on 19 April 2018. In his five years he chaired almost 50 meetings of the Council! Keith chaired his last meeting on 30 March 2023.
The Executive Officer put together a cheeky nomination for Keith to be registered as a State Heritage Object to express his gratitude for his work. You can read it here.
Sir Samuel Way Building
Celebrating South Australia’s Heritage
- Heritage is about our future as much as it is about our past
- Join Keith Conlon for Heritage and History reimagined at the Hotel Metropolitan
- Arts Law rates Heritage SnAps T&Cs 5 Stars
- Heritage SnAps Photo Competition 2021
- More than 20 projects to benefit from heritage grants
- $8.1 million boost for South Australian heritage
- Heritage SnAps finalists 2020 Photo Exhibition at Adelaide Arcade
- South Australia's History Festival back for 2021
- SA Heritage Grants Round 3
- Stronger heritage protection in Colonel Light Gardens
- Watch a short but entertaining video that celebrates our state’s heritage
- The Edmund Wright Trail
- Heritage Tourism Strategy for SA
- Growing Heritage Tourism in South Australia
- 40 Years of the Burra Charter
- ADELAIDEAZ connects us to South Australian culture
- SA's oldest buildings uncovered
- Modernist Adelaide Exhibition
- Winners of Heritage SnAps Photo Competition announced
- The Environment, Resources and Development Committee of Parliament report into Heritage Reform
- Important changes to Historic Shipwreck legislation
- Essence of Heritage Photo/Video Competition winners announced
- Essence of Heritage Top 20 finalist photos chosen - Vote for your favourite!
- Liturgy, community, modernity: Postwar places of worship in South Australia - 29 October 2019
- South Australian History Network
- Essence of Heritage Photo/Video Competition now open
- Heritage Tourism Strategy launched
- Second round of SA Heritage Grants opens
- Three SA places win National Heritage grants
- First Round of SA Heritage Grant projects announced
- SA Heritage Grants NOW OPEN!
- Regenerating Places of Faith Conference 16 August 2019
- Burra Charter @ 40 - A celebration of the Burra Charter 30 August 2019
- SA Heritage Grants opening soon
- Australian Heritage Tourism Conference - 30-31 May 2019
- South Australia’s History Festival - 27 April - 31 May 2019
- Heritage SnAps winners announced - 31 August 2018
- Heritage SnAps Photo CompetitionPeople's Choice Vote - closing 24 July 2018
- Heritage SnAps Photo Competition - closing 13 July 2018
- Circa outdoor theatre at Adelaide Botanic Garden 15-25 November 2018
- Remembrance Display - Life Goes On @ TTG Heritage Museum
- Port Adelaide heritage boat festival
- Hahndorf State heritage area news and events
- Belair National Park Opportunities
- Stay tuned for Heritage Grants news
- GIRT Scientific Diver Pilot Project - July to December 2018
- Free weekend tours at the Migration Museum in 2018
- Torrens Island Quarantine Station tours
- Z Ward night tours are back in 2018
- Beaumont House open days
- Port Adelaide Heritage Bus Tours - 26 and 27 August 2018
- Hahndorf Winter Lantern Festival - 24 to 25 August 2018
- Heritage Friday Forum 'The Aceh Method - 17 August 2018
- Winterfest is back at Hart's Mill, Port Adelaide
- SnAp a heritage place to win!
- South Australia's History Festival begins 28 April
- Australian Heritage Festival - on now!
- Heritage on Sunday - Apple Festival @ Tea Tree Gully Heritage Museum 15 April 2018
- Historic Houses Association Conference April 2018
- CITB Heritage Trades Training 2018
- Valuing our Heritage Forum @ UniSA 15 February 2018
- Protecting National Historic Sites 2017-18 Grants Program - Open Now!
- Stars of Christmas Past 15 – 19 November 2017 Tea Tree Gully Museum
- Sea Pixels winners announced and SALA exhibition launched
- SA's Cornish mining heritage sites added to National Heritage List
- Three important South Australian sites added to Heritage Register
- Miniature Magic @ TTG Heritage Museum
- Vote now for your favourite maritime image in Sea Pixels photo competition!
- Australian Heritage Festival 2017 - Registrations now open!
- Enter DEWNR's Sea Pixels photo competition and win an escape to one of SA's national parks!
- CITB Heritage Trades courses 2017
- Organising an event for the SA History Festival 2017? Read this!
- Heritage places promoted in State's $35 million tourism package
- Our World Heritage-listed Naracoorte Caves site gets a face-lift
- Queen's Theatre archaeological treasures
- River wrecks added to historic register
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 34 (2009)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 33 (2008)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 32 (2008)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 31 (2007)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 30 (2007)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 29 (2006)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 28 (2006)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 27 (2005)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 26 (2005)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 25 (2004)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 24 (2004)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 23 (2003)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 22 (2003)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 21 (2002)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 20 (2002)
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- Heritage SA - Newsletter 18 (2001)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 17 (2000)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 16 (2000)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 15 (1999)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 14 (1999)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 13 (1998)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 12 (1998)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 11 (1997)
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- Heritage SA - Newsletter 9 (1996)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 8 (1996)
- Heritage SA - Newsletter 7 (1995)
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- Heritage SA - Newsletter 5 (1994)
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- Heritage SA - Newsletter 1 (1992)