Montefiore Hill facts for kids
Montefiore Hill is a small hill located in North Adelaide, South Australia. It offers a great view over the Adelaide city centre. It's a popular spot for people to visit and enjoy the scenery.
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Where is Montefiore Hill?
The hill is part of the green spaces around Adelaide, known as the Adelaide Park Lands. Specifically, it's in an area called Park 26, which also includes the Adelaide Oval. You can find it at the northern end of Montefiore Road.
This spot is famous for the statue called Light's Vision. This statue shows William Light, who planned and founded Adelaide. His finger points directly towards the city centre. While the view used to be completely open, the growth of the Adelaide Oval in 2012–2013 has slightly changed it.
The statue is surrounded by paved areas, lawns, and gardens. This area was turned into a special lookout spot in 1939. From here, you can see the Adelaide Oval, the Memorial Drive Tennis Courts, parts of the park lands, and the city itself.
History of Montefiore Hill
Why is it called Montefiore Hill?
The original name for this hill, given by the local Kaurna people (the traditional owners of the land), is no longer known. The current name was given in 1837. It honors Jacob Barrow Montefiore (1801–1895). He was one of the people who helped set up the colony of South Australia. He was also a cousin of a famous helper of people, Moses Montefiore. A group of important people from the South Australian Company named the hill on May 23, 1837, along with many of Adelaide's streets and squares.
When was the lookout developed?
The lookout area on Montefiore Hill was improved in 1936. This was part of the celebrations for Adelaide's 100th birthday. During this project, the top of the hill was made flat. Gardens and paved areas were added, along with a curved railing (called a balustrade) on the southern side.
The story of Light's Vision
In 1938, Sir Henry Newland suggested making the lookout even bigger and better. He also proposed moving the statue of William Light. The statue was originally in Victoria Square in the city centre. Sir Henry suggested moving it to Montefiore Hill and renaming it "Light's Vision."
The larger plan for the lookout didn't happen. However, the statue was moved and renamed in May 1938. Today, the name "Light's Vision" is sometimes used to describe the entire lookout area, not just the statue.
