Events Calendar 2026

Guests are very welcome to join us at all Pioneers SA events

Please note that bookings are required for all events seven days prior to the scheduled date.  Payment in advance is preferred for all events.  Booking and payment options below.  For any issues with a booking, please text or call the Events Co-ordinator on 0409 251 185

Monday 27 April 12pm - 3pm

E26-03 - Pub Lunch   BOOKED OUT

'Cracking Light’s Code: Celebrating Light’s Birthday with a Fresh Look at How Adelaide Was Planned Across the Torrens'

Colonel William Light faced an extraordinary challenge: to design a city of 1,000 one‑acre lots on a site unlike any other, split by the River Torrens. How did he achieve it?

Light’s working drawings and notes were lost—most likely in a house fire—leaving historians with the final plan but no record of the thinking behind it. In this presentation, architect, urban designer and cultural heritage consultant Ron Danvers explores how Light may have constructed his master plan. Drawing on international planning precedents of the era, Danvers “reverse engineers” Adelaide’s layout to reveal a compelling and highly plausible explanation of Light’s method.  Join us to celebrate the 240^th birthday of the remarkable man who had the creative genius and skill to create the city that we all enjoy today.

The Edinburgh Hotel

1-7 High Street, Mitcham

Cost:  Members $65     Guests $75

Fully Booked - reservations now closed

Booking essential and will close on Tuesday 21 April.

When booking, please provide a contact phone number, the names of all attendees, their meal selection, and/or dietary requirements.  

Main Course selections:

- Fish & chips, Greek salad, chips, lemon, or

- Roast beef, seasonal roasted vegetables, (GF)

        (gravy available upon request); or

 - Thai noodle salad, with chicken or tofu (GF )

Dessert selections:

  Coffee  & Kahlua parfait, coffee anglaise, strawberries (GF); OR 

  Eton Mess, meringue, cream, berry compote, and fresh berries (GF)

Saturday 2 May 11am

Pioneer Poster Exhibition Launch - Campbelltown Public Library

Join the Pioneers SA Librarian, Alison Hicks, for a fascinating talk on early settler Martha Silke (née Painter). Arriving in South Australia in 1840 aboard the Fairlie, Martha went on to build a life in Paradise with her husband, Henry Oak Silke, a horticulturalist. Alison's presentation will explore Martha’s family life, and active contributions to South Australia’s early history.

Bookings open 1 April 2026  via  Humanitix:   Martha Silke: Pioneer Settler of Paradise

Thursday 7 May 7pm - 9pm

Pioneers SA History Festival Launch - Burnside Library

"London, Lancashire & Orkney: Families Connecting in South Australia"

A journey tracing the unexpected links between families from the slums of London, the industrial heart of Lancashire and the remote Orkney Islands. This presentation by Pioneers Association President Anthea Taylor, follows lives shaped by poverty, resilience and quiet ambition, woven together by migration, chance and shared beginnings in SA.  Free event

Bookings to events@pioneerssa.org.au please.

Sunday 17 May 10am - 4pm

Step back in time at History Day at the Gaol!

 
Explore the iconic Old Adelaide Gaol with special exhibits and rare access to areas usually closed. Enjoy the mugshot canteen and a sausage sizzle as you discover the stories linking people and moments in the Gaol’s past.  Entry is half‑price for one day only, making it the perfect chance for families to discover something new together.  Pioneers SA will also be on site with a special poster display and information desk, adding even more stories and insight to your visit.    Entry on the day paid at the Gaol - Adults $8.75, Children $5.25, Concession $7.00.

Friday 1 May - Tuesday 31 May

Pioneers SA Poster Exhibitions

"Pioneers of the Mid-North"                                      Pioneers SA Office,  Level 2, 25 Leigh Street Adelaide   Tue & Thur   10am - 2pm

"Pioneers of Campbelltown & the N E Suburbs"      Campbelltown Public Library                                            Daily 10am - 6pm  (1-5pm Sun) 

"Pioneer Connections with Old Adelaide Gaol"        Old Adelaide Gaol, 18 Gaol Road, Adelaide                     Daily during open hours in May 

Wednesday 17 June 10.30am – 12.30pm

SM-04 SameShips - 'Apolline' and 'Mary Dugdale'

Pioneers SA, Leigh Street, Adelaide

Both of these ships arrived in South Australia in October 1840. Notable passengers on the Apolline included Henry Weston Phillips and George Phillips, pioneers in the Adelaide and North Adelaide areas.  The Mary Dugdale sailed from Bristol/Dublin, carrying William Marrett, farmer & publican, amongst its passengers.

Cost:  $5 per person.

Bookings & payment in advance appreciated

Wednesday 24 June 12.00pm – 3.00pm

E26-04 Lunch Meeting -

Ray Dundon: "The Unassuming Botanist - Friedrich Hermann Heinrich Schultze; and his role in the Goyder Expedition to Survey Darwin in 1869”

Join us as Ray presents the remarkable story of Friedrich Hermann Heinrich Schultze, the skilled surveyor whose expertise helped shape the very foundations of Darwin. This presentation explores his vital role in Goyder’s 1869 Northern Territory Survey Expedition, revealing the precision, resilience, and quiet leadership that guided one of South Australia’s most significant surveying achievements.

Walkerville Uniting Church Hall

17 Smith Street, Walkerville

Cost:  $5 members / $10 guests

Bookings & payments in advance appreciated

Sunday 26 July 12.00pm – 4.00pm

E26-05 Winter Gathering 

Janet Moran - Mount Horrocks Historical Society    

'The Letters of Clara Horrocks to her brothers John Ainsworth and Arthur Horrocks in South Australia'

John Ainsworth and Arthur Horrocks arrived in South Australia in 1839 and 1840 respectively, settling along the Hutt River north of Gawler.  John is best known for his explorations, including the ill-fated Northern Expedition of 1848.  Arthur married Ann Jacob at Penwortham in 1850. Throughout their journeys, their sister Clara remained in England, faithfully documenting their lives through her letters. 

The Walkers Arms Hotel

36 North East Road, Walkerville

Cost:  Members $75     Guests $85

Bookings essential and will close on Sunday 19 July unless booked out earlier.

When booking, please provide a contact phone number and the names of all attendees, their main course selection, and/or dietary requirements. 

Main Course selections:

Chargrilled porterhouse (medium) with mashed potato, broccolini & a red wine jus.

OR

Roast chicken breast with mashed potato and broccolini.

Dessert (only one option available):

Sticky date pudding, toffee sauce, vanilla ice cream, strawberries (V)  

 Wednesday 22 July 10.30am – 12.30pm

SM-05 SameShips - 'Canton' and 'Medway'

Pioneers SA, Leigh Street, Adelaide

Cost:  $5 per person.

Bookings & payment in advance appreciated