Rundle Mall – Street

 Adelaide SA 5000, Australia +61 8 8203 7200 Website 9am – 7pm Adelaide Campervan Hire

salmonblue08 (contributor)

This beautiful piece of Victorian street architecture, one of a two, was cast by Handyside and Co in the UK in the late 1800s and was originally located in front of the Jubilee Exhibition Building on North Terrace. The artistry is first class so do have a close look.

In 1908 the fountains were given to the Adelaide City Council by the South Australian Government. One, the larger of the two, is now situated in Creswell Gardens adjacent to the Adelaide Oval. This one, the smaller and better known of the two, was moved around various times until it settled in its present location adjacent to the entrance of the Adelaide Arcade on Rundle Mall, in 1976 when the Mall was officially opened. The Victorian arcade should not be missed – have a look at my separate review – The Adelaide Arcade.

Plans were afoot to once again relocate the fountain in 2012/2013 but public protest thwarted this and the fountain was still outside the Arcade when I last visited in late December 2014. The Mall’s Balls were also saved and, again, were firmly in place, though moved a few metres, when I visited! (See my separate tip –Pigs and the Mall’s Balls before jumping to any conclusions please).

The water flows solely from the top of the fountain in a cascade effect to the central bowl and thence to the ground level basin. Interestingly when the then Premier Don Dunstan officially opened Rundle Mall at this fountain it flowed with champagne.

As you pass by have a look but more importantly have a taste. You never know your luck!

I should warn you though that if you are unlucky and its water that’s flowing, Adelaide’s hard water has a reputation for being the least tasty in Australia though I have never had any problems with it.

While I do not have a photo of it, the fountain looks especially good when lit up at night so if you are staying in the local area do pop into the mall for a look after dark.

nastyhero (contributor)

Rundle Street is Adelaide’s main shopping street, the western and longer part of which is pedestrianised and forms Rundle Mall. It runs parallel to North Terrace where museums, universities, etc are located.

There are number of arcades on the mall and all the major Aussie stores can be found there – David Jones, Myers, Harvey Norman, etc – along with smaller local shops and eateries. About half way along the mall you should visit Regent Arcade – named after an old ex theatre on the corner – a beautiful heritage style interior, with over 30 specialty shops including a good selection of cafe’s and a couple of small antique shops. Next to Regent Arcade is the beautiful Victorian Adelaide Arcade. See my separate review on each of these arcades.

For those with a sweet tooth visit Haigh’s chocolate store at the West (Hindley Street) end of the mall on the intersection with King William Street (Beehive Corner). This is the oldest family-owned chocolate manufacturing retailer in Australia and the chocolates are great. Short guided tours of the factory, situated about 5-10mins drive from the shop, are available – see Haigh’s website for details http://www.haighschocolates.com.au/.

You don’t need to be into shopping to come here. I have included it under things to do, as opposed to shopping tips, as I rarely visit the mall to buy anything. It is very popular at weekends when lots of good buskers descend on it. Half way up, every Christmas, you will find a merry-go-round – always popular with kids.

The mall features a few interesting pieces of street architecture/ adornments which you can read about in my separate review.

A tourist office is located on the mall – a handy spot to find out whats on in town and around Adelaide.

This is the place to go for people into people watching.

hove+bold (contributor)

If you want, after you come out of Rundle Mall, continue across Pulteney street and along Rundle Street East and into the cosmopolitan East End District. More historic buildings, leading designer labels, gifts, home wares, jewellery, camera shop and much more. If you turn into some of the side streets, here you will find some South Australian fashion shops, and perhaps something different to wear back home! There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and wine bars and outdoor alfresco dining.

This end of Rundle street is where the Botanical Gardens, The National Wine Centre and Rymill Park are located. It’ also where festivals or events like the Adelaide Fringe, the Adelaide Festival, Clipsal 500 V8 Car Race, Tour Down Under, East End Jazz Festival and several international Film festivals are held.

prestonvocal (contributor)

Rundle Street used to be a very narrow street, quite a dangerous street for pedestrians, so it was good when it was decided to make it a Mall.
Rundle Mall opened as Australia’s first pedestrian street mall in 1976. Since then, Australia has lots of Mall’s.

Even if you haven’t shopping to do, a walk along the Mall is quite entertaining. People are here everyday of the week, Buskers entertain the crowds, there are fresh fruit and flower stalls where office workers buy by the piece. Plenty of retailers, arcades, boutiques, Banks, ATM Machines and eateries make it a great place for a stroll and to pass time!

The ‘Mall’s Balls,” officially “the Spheres,” is a well known landmark in Rundle Mall and now is used as a meeting place.
These two large stainless steel spheres are balanced one on top of the other. Erected in 1977, they were donated to the City of Adelaide to mark its 1977 centenary.

General trading hours are….Monday – Thursday up to 7pm
Friday 9am – 9pm …Saturday 9am – 5pm …Sunday 11am – 5pm
Different shops may have different opening and closing times.

kieldervacuous (contributor)

This large mural on the corner of Frome Street and Rundle Street was first painted in the 80’s and then was redone, with several artistes contributing to it to give a sightly new futuristic theme in the 1998. Carol Ruff and Barbary O’Brien painted the original mural in 1984. The theme of the piece was the link between the older and younger generation through play. The new version includes symbol-isms of Adelaide heritage such as the Mt Lofty towers and up dated graffitied canvas school bags that so many Adelaide’s school kids use. In the newer version the old man’s ice cream has melted to show there has been a space of time.

I was sixteen when the first mural was painted and I always enjoyed seeing it. It was a reminder of that time in my life. As I got older it remained the same except it had faded a little. When it was painted over in 1998 I was very disappointed and felt a loss but today the 1998 version has taken it place and again has become something special to me. I not only enjoy the present mural but also remember what lays beneath it.

traligillcashew (contributor)

Adelaide’s Rundle Mall is famous for its street architecture which began with what is known locally as the Mall’s Balls.

The 4m tall structure, erected in 1977 and officially entitled ‘The Spheres’ by Bert Flugelman, consists of two large stainless steel spheres with a diameter of 2.15 metres, balanced one on top of the other. This is a popular meeting space so if someone tells you to meet them at the Balls in the Mall you will know what they mean.

Other street adornments include:

A bronze sculpture of a group of life-sized pigs, officially known as ‘A Day Out’ by Marguerite Derricourt . The four pigs – Truffles (the standing pig), Horatio (the sitting pig), Oliver (the pig at the bin) and Augusta (the trotting pig) – are depicted in lively poses as if they were walking in the street, greeting shoppers, and sniffing out a bargain – be careful you don’t trip over the bloody things! The pigs arrived in 1999 and I can’t help suspecting that they were inspired by a set of sheep in altogether more compromising positions located in the centre of Canberra and which have been around somewhat longer.

The ‘Girl on a Slide’ sculpture by John Dowie. A much smaller sculpture of exactly as the title suggests. Installed in 1997 as a small discovery piece – the idea being that you come across it by accident.

Santa Claus – by wabat. Only appears at a certain time of year .

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