Ayers House Museum

Ayers House, originally known as Austral House, is a historic mansion on North Terrace in Adelaide and the only building of its kind to survive on the boulevard. It is named after Sir Henry Ayers, a multiple-term premier and industrialist who lived on the property from 1855 to 1897. The building was originally designed in 1846 for a pharmacist. The local bluestone structure in the Regency style was later transformed by Ayers into a grand forty-room villa, completed in 1876. During his political career, the house served as a venue for cabinet meetings, parliamentary dinners, and grand balls. It was also one of the first addresses in Adelaide to be fitted with gas lighting, and it had a basement level that offered relief from the hot summers.

Today the heritage-listed building houses the museum of the National Trust of South Australia. Visitors can admire the well-preserved interior, which features hand-painted ceilings, stenciled wood paneling, and memorabilia of the Ayers family. These exhibits illustrate the wealth of the home's former owners. Highlights include fine silver cutlery, artworks, furniture, a heavy cellar chandelier, and the original gas lamps. The former bedrooms have been converted into an upscale dining area, while the carriage houses are used as a bistro. Four private function rooms are available for weddings and other occasions.

The history of the house is closely tied to the fight to preserve it. After a variety of uses, including as accommodation for wounded soldiers and as a residence for nurses, the building faced demolition in the 1960s. It was saved only through the efforts of the National Trust and Premier Don Dunstan, and restored as a cultural center and museum. After a brief period in which the History Trust of South Australia was meant to use the building, legislation passed in 2024 established Ayers House as the permanent home of the National Trust of South Australia. This makes the property not only a place of historical education but also an active cultural gathering place in the city.