Unseen Adelaide – Page 24 of 45

June 25, 2015

Urban Exploring: Inside Darling House

Nominated by the public as one of their favourite buildings in Adelaide in 2013, Darling House is not only historically and architecturally significant but has been the source of much intrigue since being left idle in 1997.

Darling House — Awesome Adelaide — The facade of Darling House — Adelaide. (Photo courtesy of Doug Smyth)

For the last 18 years Darling House has sat disused and un-maintained. Rising damp, water damage and wood rot have taken its toll on this once bustling establishment.

However, plans are afoot to restore the old building. Scheduled to be completed by the end of this year we eagerly await to see her rescued from its current dilapidated condition.

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June 17, 2015

Urban Exploring: The Pot House

I watched the store for six months, wandering what it was. It was only recently that curiosity got the better of me. I wandered around, looking through the front of the store window. On the ground, a large pile of letters that hadn’t been touched.

I promptly called WildStar and we managed to find our way in a few days later.

Under the cover of darkness we went in; dodging the smashed pots and vases in the overgrown yard. Nothing could have prepared us for what we would find inside. We pushed the door open and before us sat ornaments, statues, vases, chairs, kites and wooden carved flowers all seemingly untouched.

It seemed so surreal.

We were all puzzled as to why someone would leave something like this behind. We searched through the letters and piles of paper scattered around the shop. Was the owner dead? Could he not maintain the store? We continued to search before we found more than we bargained for: a dead cat lay beneath a blanket in the middle of a room with wooden flowers placed nearby.

Calendars, diaries and receipt books all had active entries up until one single date — the 14th of December 2006. There is no doubt that it’s abandoned, but why?

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May 28, 2015

Urban Exploring: The Old Regent Cinema

Seating 2300 people, the Adelaide Hoyts ‘Regent’ Cinema opened in June 1928 and for the next 39 years was known as “Australia‘s most luxurious theatre”.

The facade of The Regent Cinema — Adelaide 1937. (Photo courtesy of the State Library of South Australia)

In the 1930s and 40s The Regent Cinema was the place to go to impress! If you wanted to go there on a Friday or Saturday night you’d have to book your seat weeks in advance. Upon entering, a large stairway with fountains on either side led you inside the theatre. There you were entertained by live music played on a huge Wurlitzer pipe organ – played by one of Adelaide‘s top organists.

The foyer of The Regent Cinema — Adelaide. (Photo courtesy of the Australian Cinema and Theatre Historical Society)

Sadly though, in 1967 the Regent Cinema was closed and remodelled into a shopping arcade. All but gone, remnants of its lavish interior can still be seen inside…