The South Australian Colonization Act received the
royal assent of King William IV on 15th August 1834,
the first colonists arriving on 20th July 1836 and
landing on Kangaroo Island, the first place in South
Australia to be settled.
The new Governor of South
Australia, John Hindmarsh, arrived on 28th December
1836, together with the first Surveyor-General of
South Australia, Colonel William Light.
Adelaide is,
of all the Australian capital cities except Canberra
(which dates from almost a century later), that which
shows the greatest influence of thoughtful planning.
In its centre it is the work of one man, Colonel
William Light. He had first to choose a site for his
capital. Despite opposition, he chose Adelaide and
commenced his survey, at the junction of the present
North and West Terraces, on 11th January 1837. An obelisk
marks the place. The survey was completed on 10th March
and the naming of the streets occurred on 23rd May
1837.
The city was named Adelaide after the Queen of
the time, the consort of King William IV. Light’s
plan consisted of a city of one square mile, completely
surrounded by park land, and with five additional
small parks in its centre. That plan survives today
and sets Adelaide apart from the other capital cities
which, although not lacking in green spaces, seem
to have had them positioned as an afterthought. In
fact, Adelaide is regarded as one of the best planned
cities in the world.
There are two places in particular
where Light is remembered. One is at Montefiore Hill
in North Adelaide. His statue was moved to this apt
location so that he could have a commanding view
over the city which he had created, the place and
statue now being dubbed Light’s Vision.
The
second place is his grave in Light Square, right
in the heart of his city. He resigned from his
position in 1838, feeling that the task assigned had
been performed, but also tired of the criticism and
disputes, and he died of tuberculosis, almost penniless,
only a year later, on 6th October 1839, at the age
of 53. On 10th October, he was buried in Light Square,
and a towering monument has been erected over his grave,
a tribute to all that this city owes him.
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