Toast Without Butter.....

Ok, so as I mentioned earlier, Adelaide gets a bad wrap....

The usual response from 'those types' in the other states, when you say you're from Adelaide is
"I'm sorry"

It's an old joke, but a good one....

But to be honest, Adelaide is a great city. We have a great history, full of culture and initiative, and some beautiful landscape's to boot. Now I'm never going to say Adelaide is prettier, bigger or better than anywhere else, because well, I've seen some amazing things in my short time and there is a lot we can do to improve things.

But today I have done a little research, and made a list of things we, as South Australians, can and should be proud of. So without further ado.......

I'll start with my personal favourite, Women's Equality.

We became the first state in Australia, and second place in the world (after those darn kiwis in 1893) to give women the right to vote in 1894. 8 years later, women were granted suffrage in the whole of Australia.

People.

Dame Roma Mitchell

Dame Roma Mitchell was born in Adelaide and was the first Australian woman to be a judge, a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the Governor of an Australian state.

Natasha Stott Despoja

Youngest leader of a political party in Australia.

Penny Wong

First openly lesbian member of an Australian cabinet.

Don Dunstan

Won't list everything, but he was instrumental in removing the death penalty in the state, decriminalising homosexuality, and removing the White Australia Policy. He helped Aboriginal Australians gain land recognition and helped reinvigorate the arts and culture of the city. He was way ahead of his time both federally and at state level.

William Bragg Snr & Jnr. 

Only father and son to win the Nobel Prize, and old Bill Junior was the youngest ever recipient of the prize.

Howard Florey.

Nobel Prize winner and developer of penicillin. His and his colleagues discovery has saved an estimated 6 million lives in Australia....No big deal....

Non Political Stuff!!

Not Convicts!

We are the only Australian capital not founded by convicts but free men. (Even if some of them were previously convicts but had served there sentence or were granted released. Don't tell the others)

Aboriginal History.

We have Australia's (and the worlds) largest collection of Aboriginal artefact's and culture in the South Australian Museum.

We have some of the oldest known recordings of human existence in the world (hand paintings in Arkaroola Caves in the Flinders Ranges can date back to around 40,000 to 50,000 years)

Archaeological Significance.

Naracoorte Caves is a Unesco World Heritage Site, down by the Limestone Coast. It is significant due to its 26 caves filled with Australia's ancient mega-fauna. It's fascinating seeing where some of our beloved cute creatures descended from. Not only that these things are flipping huge!

White Kangaroos!

We have Australia's only known colony of white kangaroos in Australia (Border Town)

The Wine State

Up until last year, (damn NSW) South Australia was the largest producer of wine in the country, and thanks to brands such as Jacobs Creek, Wolf Blass and Penfolds, gave Australia the great reputation we have around the world today. You can thank us later Eastern States......

The Festival State.

We have the second largest fringe festival in the world outside of the famous Edinburgh Fringe, and we have the biggest Schutzenfest in the world outside Germany (third overall)

Natural Beauty. 

Kangaroo Island is a relatively undiscovered gem internationally, but is one of the most amazing places in the country. The Flinders Ranges are stunning, and with enough history to make Jesus sit down for a coffee.

Largest & Longests

Apart from the ones listed above, Adelaide has, summarised....

The worlds longest guided bus way in the O-Bahn.

The worlds largest and oldest glasshouse in a botanic gardens.

The Largest vintage car rally in the southern hemisphere (Bay to Birdwood)

The largest collection of vintage cars in Australia (National Motor Museum)

The largest collection of 18th century Australian art on display. (National Art Gallery)

Australia's only purpose built soccer stadium (Hindmarsh)

The largest fresh produce market in the southern hemisphere (Central Market)

And the most restaurants per capita than any other Australian city.

Beaches!

We have Australia's closest and most accessible beach (Glenelg, also a wicked palindrome)

And Finally........

 Adelaide has been voted most livable city in the country three years in a row.

Ok so we`re not perfect by any means, but we do have a rich history to be proud of. 

So hopefully next time instead of bagging out the place you live and encouraging the ignorance, stand up and be proud for what we have done!