The University of Adelaide, Adelaide — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The University of Adelaide's North Terrace campus sits on what has been Adelaide's cultural boulevard since the 1880s, when the city went on a building spree that packed this stretch with museums, libraries, and institutions. The university itself was established in 1874, making it one of Australia's oldest, and it holds a distinction that deserves to be better known: it was the first university in Australia to admit women to degrees. The first woman graduated (in science) in 1885.

The campus is home to some striking buildings. The Mitchell Building, which accommodated the entire university when it opened in 1882, is a handsome piece of Victorian architecture. Bonython Hall, completed in 1936, seats 1,000 and is where graduation ceremonies are held. Outside the North Terrace gates stands a statue of Sir Douglas Mawson, the Antarctic explorer who served as Professor of Geology here from 1921.

Walking through the campus feels like stepping through layers of Adelaide's history, from colonial ambition to modern research. It's a place where the architecture tells you about the people who built it and what they thought the future should look like.

If you're exploring Adelaide on a Questo quest, the university and its surroundings on North Terrace are rich with details and stories that most visitors walk right past.