SA History Festival | Tuning In to the Past

What a treat to attend an engaging and nostalgic session by Ian Smyth at the beautiful North Adelaide Institute, one of our city’s architectural gems. Ian, Secretary of the Historical Radio Society of South Australia (HRSASA), shared a fascinating history of radios from the 1920s onward — including rare wartime models and a 1929 Phillips set he personally restored.

From radios that don’t need batteries to stories of Adelaide’s once-booming radio manufacturing industry — including Phillips in Hendon employing 4,000 people in its peak — this session was a reminder of how sound once shaped our homes, hearts, and history.

Did you know there were once 30 radio manufacturers in Adelaide alone? And who remembers “Here's Humphrey,” “The Curiosity Show,” or tuning in to SAFM and Talkback legends like Jeremy Cordo, Bazz & Pilko?

A huge thank you to Ian for his passionate storytelling and to North Adelaide Library for hosting this wonderful event during the SA History Festival.

 There’s still time to explore more events this May and/or schedule your calendar to visit SA in May 2026 to explore.

 And if you’re visiting South Australia, stay with us at Adelaide Style Accommodation — award-winning 4.5-star homes close to the Adelaide CBD and Barossa Valley, where you can live like a local and discover history all around you.

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