10 October 1843        Legislative Council Building

The opening of the first parliament of South Australia took place on 10 October 1843 in the Legislative Council building on North Terrace. This was the first permanent site of the parliament and the chamber with the gallery could hold about 200 people. The building was adequate until 1850 when self government was proclaimed and the representation was doubled to 24 members which necessitated the construction of a larger building. This was completed in 1855, but the new constitution granted in 1856, which gave the parliament two houses, the House of Assembly as well as the Legislative Council, necessitated yet another chamber to be built and this was done in the short space of ten weeks on the site of the 1843 building. Since then many additions and alterations have been made and the building continued to be used until the construction of the first section of the new Parliament House in 1889 and its completion in 1939.

By the 1970s the old building was sadly neglected and was threatened with demolition, but fortunately the government decided against such action and renovations made in 1978-80 made it possible for it to be used as the Constitutional Museum for some years. It is now again is use for government purposes.

City of Adelaide Heritage Survey, Volume 7, The Parklands, pp.4-4H.