150th Anniversary of the Corporation of the City of AdelaidePrint Page

The Oriental Plane trees commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Corporation of the City of Adelaide in November 1840.  

The Adelaide City Council, properly The Council and Corporation of the City of Adelaide, was the first municipal corporation in Australia. It was formed in 1840 by the passage of the City of Adelaide Municipal Corporation Act. The first mayor was James Hurtle Fisher, and the first council meeting was held on 4 November 1840. Unfortunately, the new corporation suffered financial woes, as several of its actions were unauthorised or reversed by the Home (British) government, leading to considerable council debt. The corporation collapsed as insolvent in 1843. For the next six years the city was managed by the Police Commissioner.

In 1849 a new Board of City Commissioners were appointed, but this interim arrangement was short-lived, partly due to manpower shortages caused by the Victorian gold rushes. In 1852 the City Corporation was re-established under the Municipal Corporation Act of 1849. The city was divided into four wards led by aldermen and twelve councillors, one of whom was elected as mayor. 

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