[6] Adelaide city centre was planned in 1837 on a greenfield site following a grid layout, with streets running at right angles to each other.

The location and characteristic grid layout of the city and North Adelaide, as well as the surrounding parklands, were the result of the work of Colonel William Light (1786–1839), who was the first Surveyor General of South Australia.

Adelaide was not as badly affected by the 1860s economic depression in Australia as other gold rush cities like Sydney and Melbourne, allowing it to prosper.

[citation needed] Adelaide is separated from its greater metropolitan area by a ring of public parklands on all sides.

Surrounding this central business district are a large number of medium to low density apartments, townhouses and detached houses which make up the residential portion of the city centre.

[citation needed] All east–west roads change their names as they cross King William Street, except for North and South terraces.

[citation needed] The street pairs, design widths, and town acres in Light's Vision are illustrated in this diagram: The streets and squares were named by a committee of a number of prominent settlers after themselves, after early directors of the South Australian Company, after Colonisation Commissioners of South Australia (appointed by the British government to oversee implementation of the acts that established the colony), and after various notables involved in the establishment of the colony.

[21] The City of Adelaide Council has defined a number of neighbourhood precincts in the city centre, each with a character of their own: In addition to these, the north-eastern side of North Terrace is often referred to as the "North Terrace cultural precinct" or "cultural boulevard", and includes the Art Gallery of South Australia, the State Library of South Australia, the South Australian Museum, the Migration Museum, the Adelaide Botanic Garden, the University of Adelaide and the "CityEast" campus of the UniSA[25] The population was 18,202 in the 2021 census, 41 percent born in Australia.

Two remain very popular with musicians and patrons alike: Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth Hobart Darwin Canberra