East Terrace Promenade

Curated by Adelaide City Explorer Team

East Terrace forms the eastern boundary of Colonel Light’s plan for the city area.

Unlike the other boundary terraces, East Terrace runs not in a straight line but north to south in a series of five right-angled steps.

The steps trace the slope of the land into the eastern Parklands, which provides a scenic outlook.

Once the site of the Victoria Park racecourse, the eastern Parklands are now open public space, except for the annual V8 car race that intersects the parklands.


Land in this area was first built upon in the 1850s.

However it was during the boom period of the 1870s and 1880s that the grandest mansions were built here to create Adelaide’s finest residential street.

Today, these magnificent Victorian era landmarks and the parkland setting make for a very pleasant city stroll taking just 30 minutes.

Charlick Circuit Rookery

The red brick façade of the former Adelaide Fruit & Produce Exchange might evoke a bustling market atmosphere, but for many years the East End was a gritty, loud and dangerous place to live and work. Where now exists apartments, cafes and hip…

Victoria Park - Pakapakanthi

From this point looking across the Parklands to the east approximately 600 metres you can see the old Victoria Park racecourse grandstand. Although horse racing was conducted in the eastern parklands from the 1840s, this structure was built in the…

Rymill House and Coach House

Nineteen-year-old Henry Rymill and his brother Frank arrived in South Australia in 1855 from England. Convinced to try his hand at colonial life by his brother-in-law J.B. Graham, Henry came armed with letters of reference in order to secure…

Bray House

Bray House is an example of the disjointed and sometimes haphazard way many important city residences were constructed over time. In 1837, town acres 285 to 288 were granted to John Wright, and a small wooden house was constructed on the property. In…

Dimora

Harry Lockett Ayers commissioned the design of this suitably grand residence with a large ballroom facing East Terrace. It was built in 1882, and as almost certainly designed by William McMinn. Harry Ayers, foundation member of the Adelaide Club, was…

Carhayes

The first part of this house was built in 1878-79 for Thomas Barnfield who found success in mining ventures in New South Wales. However its historical significance comes from its association with Sir John Langdon Bonython, one-time proprietor of the…

Cartref

Cartref was built in 1882 for Joachim Matthias Wendt, a silversmith and founder of one of the most prominent jewellery firms in South Australia. Wendt came from Holstein, part of Denmark at his birth in 1830. After the Prussian invasion of 1848…

Weeroni

This building is quite striking due to its originality, prominent corner site and excellent condition. It was built for A.H.C. Jensen in 1896, and represents aspects of residential development in Adelaide and the relatively late development of East…

Duntocher

It is not clear why the Wesleyan Manse was built except that it was used as extra accommodation for the Wesleyan clergy of Pirie Street. These were uncertain times in which to build. During this period there were also moves to unify three…

Craigweil

Craigweil was built for Alexander Hay in 1886 in the midst of an economic depression. It is evidence of the minor impact of the financial crash on some of Adelaide’s wealthiest men, and their determination to live in fashionable homes in the city.…

Sandford House

Sandford House is particularly notable as the home of the William Henry and William Lawrence Bragg, Nobel Laureate scientists. The Braggs were some of the world’s earliest pioneers in the use of x-rays in medicine. They developed x–ray…

St. Corantyn

This house, known originally as ‘Eothen’, was built for Charles Hornabrook, a successful hotelier. Eothen was a hugely popular travelogue by A W Kingslake about an Englishman’s journeys in the Middle East published in 1844. This home was built for…

Ochiltree

The corner of East and South Terrace is the setting for the grand house Ochiltree, built in 1882 for John Rounsevell. Rounsevell made his fortune as a pastoralist and owner of a coaching business based in Pirie Street. His services delivered mail…