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Heritage Place Details

LOCATION
Map Show Map
Address 141 - 159 King William Street ADELAIDE
Locality
Accuracy L - low level confidence
Council Area ADELAIDE Council
Polygon Type B - Building footprint
DESCRIPTION
Details (Known As) Adelaide General Post Office (GPO), including the original 1872 building, remaining 1893 extensions, former Telephone Exchange (1907) and its 1914 extension
Registered Name General Post Office Building
Significance Opened in 1872, the Adelaide GPO was one of South Australia's most important public buildings, and represents the critical role played by postal, telegraphic and telephonic communications in the development of the state. The scale and impressive architectural detailing of the building and its prominent location in the centre of Adelaide reflect its importance as the focus of the network of communication services in South Australia for many decades. Its construction was the result of the entrepreneurial drive of Postmaster-General Sir Charles Todd, who was instrumental in establishing telegraphic communications in both South Australia and Australia and in encouraging the state Government's monopolistic control of all communication services in South Australia. The subsequent additions to the building and the construction of the separate Telephone Exchange were a direct response to increasing demand for the new technologies of telegraph and telephone services in the years leading up to and following Federation. [HB 11/2006]
Subject Index Communication (postal and tele) - Post Office
Class State
STATUS
Status Code REG - Confirmed as a State Heritage Place in the SA Heritage Register
Status Date 24-JUL-1980
REFERENCE
LGA Adelaide
State Heritage ID 10860
Heritage Number 1299
SECTION 16 INFORMATION
Section 16
PLAN PARCEL & TITLE
As listed in the SA Heritage Register
Plan Parcel & Title Information CT 6185/94 D93115 A810,CT 6185/98 C23886 FCP,CT 6187/187 D86151 A801,CT 6195/498 D93115 A768,CT 6311/201 D131269 A817,CT 6311/202 D131269 A818

Disclaimer

While due care has been taken to ensure that the SA Heritage Places Database accurately reflects the South Australian Heritage Register and listings of Local Heritage Places in Council areas, the State of South Australia does not accept liability for the use of the SA Heritage Database for any purpose. Users should consult the Department for Environment and Water - Heritage South Australia to confirm the listing of State Heritage Places and the Planning and Design Code or their local council for Local Heritage Places.

In the majority of cases, the maps of State Heritage Places on this web site show the footprints of the most significant structures on a registered Place. However, sometimes they simply indicate the complete area of land comprising the Place. Work is proceeding to further refine the mapping of such places. It is also important to note that development control is not limited to the registered structures but extends to their setting and structures nearby (what is termed ‘development affecting’ a State Heritage Place). Hence it is vital that exact details of the listed place and implications for any proposed development be discussed with Heritage South Australia staff, as they cannot be deduced solely from the information on this web site. The inclusion of a place in the SA Heritage Register gives no right of public access. Permission to visit properties must be sought from the owners. The accuracy of the mapping of State Heritage Places is not guaranteed. Please contact Heritage SA ( https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/heritage/sa-heritage-register) if you believe there is an error.


GIS files

To access downloadable GIS files, go to Data.SA.

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