The History of Rundle Street

The History of Rundle Street

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Posted 2014-07-29 by Ann Lundfollow
People walk the paving stones of the Rundle Mall on a daily basis but do they really know the history of this iconic part of the CBD? The main pedestrian mall of Adelaide with its shopping precincts, trendy cafés, boutiques and restaurant strip, starts at King William Street and stretches down to the east parklands and on into Kent Town. This strip has history and has grown and changed over time just like the city, its surrounding areas and its people.

Rundle Street, which actually extends to Rundle Road from East Terrace to Kent town, used to be a vehicle thoroughfare the whole way but the western section was closed to traffic to form a pedestrian strip named Rundle Mall, which was officially opened on 1 September 1976. The plans for the mall were instigated by the then Premier Don Dunstan and the architects awarded the project were Ian Hannaford Architects.

The street was named in 1937 after John Rundle who was a member of the House of Commons and also a director of the South Australia Company established in 1835 to promote settlement of the new colony that was later to become South Australia. The street's name was declared on 23 May 1937 by the Street Naming Committee. The street's positioning as part of the larger City of Adelaide plan as a whole was determined by the first Surveyor-General Colonel William Light and he along with eminent businessmen and some officials of the time set about naming the streets of the city, often after themselves.

In 1895 the Rundle, King William and Hindley Street intersection, the historical Beehive Corner, was the site where the first electric street lighting in South Australia was installed. The Beehive Corner site, originally owned by John Rundle, was also the much-coveted vantage point for viewing the Federation Royal Visit in 1901.

Over one hundred years later in 2006 a different electric light project was proposed focused on the Rundle Mall, Rundle Street and Pultney Street intersection. Designers were looking to emulate and took inspiration from Time Square New York and Piccadilly Circus London. The successful design that we see in place today installed on the UPark Building above Hungry Jacks is called the 'Rundle Lantern' and is comprised of 748 panels of LED lighting that glow and change colour at night.

Rundle Mall has a rich history and you now have the opportunity to participate in the Rundle Mall Discovery Trail , which takes you through the historic and modern history of the mall and provides you with information about its many aspects including the Bert Flugelman Mall's Balls, more recent sculptures, the mall's architecture and its historic Arcades.

The arcades of Rundle Mall are particularly interesting if you are a bit of a history buff or a lover of old architecture.

Regent Arcade is situated where the Regent Theatre used to be. Stand in the mall in front of the Regent Arcade entrance and look up and behold you will see the facade of what once was a magnificent down town theatre. The Regent Theatre opened in 1928 as the most luxurious theatre in the country. In 1930 a Wurlitzer organ was put in place and the orchestra pit could accommodate a full size orchestra. The building was modified in 1967 to include other shops but the cinema was removed in 2006.

Adelaide and Gays Arcades adjoin and were completed in 1885 before the Regent Theatre. The arcades have roof skylights and shop windows that represent an 'Italianate revival style', super modern at the time. To this day the upper floors remain true to the original style. Interestingly there is said to be six ghosts in the arcade. Most famous and still haunting the roof is said to be the ghost of Francis 'Fred' Cluney, a former caretaker who died in 1887 after falling into the generator that powered the lights.

And if you don't have time to delve into the trail but do want to sample what the Mall has to offer check out what the Ten Things To Do In Rundle Mall itself suggests you do whilst there.

So when next in Rundle Mall and Rundle Street take a minute to stop, look up at some of the old and historic architecture, wander through the arcades and check out the Times Square inspired installation at the east end of the mall. Ten things to do in Rundle Mall inclusive of bronze pigs and chocolate awaits when you have the time!

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%wnadelaide
183682 - 2023-06-16 02:14:03

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