Flag of South Australia on Our Flagpole

South Australia

Highway Map of South Australia
Highway Map of South Australia

Adelaide is notable for its lack of freeways in the center of the city. The central part of the city on the plain between the Adelaide Hills and the coast features a grid of main roads with numerous intersections. In the periphery of the city there are several major freeways including the South Eastern Freeway, the Northern Expressway, Southern Expressway, the Port River Expressway and the North-South Motorway (formerly the South Road Superway).

Cars are the dominant for of commuter transport in South Australia. While public transport usage is relatively small compared to car usage, Adelaide features an extensive public bus network with frequent services. The network includes the 12 km O-Bahn Busway, a guided busway that is among the longest and fastest such routes in the world. Bus services are run under Adelaide Metro which includes the relatively minor rail services. The network covers the entire metropolitan area extending from Gawler in the north, to Sellicks Beach in the south, a distance of over 90 km. The services also extend to Mount Barker, Strathalbyn and several smaller townships in the Adelaide Hills. Many major towns also feature their own public transport bus networks. Country bus services between towns and interstate are provided by private companies such as Premier Stateliner, Firefly Express and Greyhound Australia.

Air:

South Australia has one major airport located in Adelaide. Adelaide Airport offers multiple daily flights to the other mainland capitals and with Jetstar, Qantas, Tigerair Australia and Virgin Australia. There are frequent services to major towns such as Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Kingscote, and Mount Gambier. Services also operate frequently to mining towns such as Roxby Downs and Olympic Dam carrying large numbers of fly-in fly-out workers.

Adelaide Airport
Adelaide Airport

The airport also offers daily international flights to major Asian hubs such as Singapore, Guangzhou, Dubai, Doha, Kuala Lumpur–International and Denpasar. Auckland and Nadi are also serviced by daily flights from Adelaide Airport.

Flag of South Australia:

The current state flag of South Australia, was officially adopted by the government of South Australia in 1904.

Flag of South Australia
Flag of South Australia

The flag is based on the defaced British Blue Ensign with the state badge located in the fly. The badge is a gold disc featuring a piping shrike with its wings outstretched. The badge is believed to have been originally designed by Robert Craig, a teacher at the School of Arts in Adelaide, and officially gazetted on 14 January 1904.

The first flag of South Australia was adopted in 1870. It too was a defaced British Blue Ensign, but with a black disc in the fly containing the Southern Cross and the two pointers (Alpha and Beta Centauri).

Red Ensign of South Australia 1870-1876
Red Ensign of South Australia 1870-1876

South Australia then adopted a second flag in 1876, also a Blue Ensign, with a new badge. The badge design was an artistic rendition of the arrival of Britannia (a woman in flowing garb and holding a shield, representing the new settlers) meeting an Aboriginal sitting with a spear on a rocky shoreline. A kangaroo appears to be carved into the rocks behind the Aboriginal.

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