Adelaide House

Adelaide House is a stone building with thick walls and thoughtful openings in Alice Springs that served as an early medical facility in Central Australia. The structure shows typical desert architecture features with natural cooling systems and houses medical equipment and photographs from early settlement days.

The building was completed in 1926 and served as the first hospital in Central Australia under Reverend John Flynn's direction. It expressed the medical pioneering work of the Australian Inland Mission in an isolated region.

The building shows how European settlers adapted their construction methods to desert heat while using local materials. Visitors can see today how the thick stone walls and purposeful openings kept the rooms cool.

The building sits at the intersection of Todd Street and Gap Road in the city center and is easy to reach on foot. The interior space is limited, so visiting during cooler times in early morning or late afternoon works best.

The building features an early cooling system using roof vents and underground channels to lower summer temperatures. This principle was developed long before modern air conditioning and works purely through clever placement and air flow.

GPS coordinates: -23.69955,133.88252

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:00