Nineteenth-century Adelaide in a global context

This paper uses a comparative framework to outline and explain the physical and spatial characteristics of Adelaide, one of Australia's major cities. Such an approach differs from that of the detailed case study favoured by most urban historians. Adelaide was one of a dozen or so 19th century cities in Australasia and the American West of unusually low density, with an expensive sprawl of housing and infrastructure. This type of townscape was the result of high average incomes, combined with the availability of an effective public transport system. -Author