Adelaide House
| Location | |
|---|---|
|
Lot 75, Town of Alice Springs. Todd Street Mall. |
|
| Gazettal Date | |
| 2 September 1998. Northern Territory Government Gazette No.G34. |
|
| Description | |
| Adelaide House is a two-storey structure with a timber frame, timber clad first floor and ground floor walls of stone. The whole ground floor is surrounded by a wide verandah. Of particular importance is the cellar which is part of a unique cooling system. | |
| Statement of Heritage Value | |
| Adelaide House was conceptually designed as a hostel by John Flynn (1880-1951), a Presbyterian minister, who was founder and Superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission of the Presbyterian Church in Australia and also acknowledged as one of the founders of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A particularly favourable fund raising effort in the City of Adelaide in 1919 was commemorated in the hostel's eventual name. Built over the period 1920-1926, the primary value and significance of Adelaide House lies in its architectural form as an early conscious example of "Design for Climate" using an innovative design which provided for a unique cooling system which, combined with thick walls, wide verandahs and appropriate roof construction facilitate climatic control during the hot summer months. A 32 volt lighting plant and the provision of a septic sewerage system were the first to be installed in the town. The first two-way field radio transmission of a telegram sent from Hermannsburg Mission via Adelaide House to Tanunda, South Australia, was by Alfred Hermann Traeger (1895-1980), who developed the pedal radio and gained a secure place in Territory history. |
|
| Further Reading | |
| James, B. 1989. A Social and Structural History of Four Australian Inland Mission Buildings in the Northern Territory. Report prepared for the National Trust. | |
