Chapter 4: Providing a place

The University’s central campus sits on the banks of the Karrawirra Pari, meaning Red Gum Forest River in Kaurna language. Otherwise known as the River Torrens, it flows beside the campus, reminding us that change is ever-present and inspiring us to keep moving forward. However, unlike the river, we do not take the path of least resistance. 

Our University has grown and excelled on Kaurna Yerta, and we recognise the history of this place. The Kaurna people have been learning and innovating here for over 60,000 years. Our institution’s present-day success can be attributed to First Nations peoples working with settlers in a generous spirit of goodwill and collaboration, even as this country was deemed terra nullius, ‘nobody’s land’. This has not always been easy. Our relationship has been navigated and developed over time to build respect. In that spirit, we now walk together, cooperatively caring for land and community and working to ensure colonisation does not eliminate the first cultures of this place. 

Every corner of our great institution has a story. The Observatory Dome has enabled countless students and researchers to look skywards and investigate the mysteries of the universe. 

The Kaurna Learning Circle is an acknowledgement and celebration of Kaurna Country, a proud placemaking initiative, and a meeting ground for cultural events and activities.  Our UniBar, now inducted into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame, has a live music legacy lasting over 50 years and has hosted legendary artists from across the generations. 

Our campus is filled with beautiful buildings, but it is what happens within them that truly matters. The University Oval, Bonython Hall, and Little Theatre are filled with the memories of people coming together to celebrate learning and culture. These memories lay the foundation for the new relationships and experiences we build every day in our community. 

As well as an institute for academic advancement, our University is a place of coming together and sharing important aspects of story, identity and belonging. This is a place where we pursue academic excellence and, just like the river Karrawirra Pari brought our First Nations peoples together, it remains a hub of connection where lifelong relationships are formed.

The University of Adelaide: 150 Years of Making History.  Providing a place. p.133