We want to hear your voice!

We're holding a Community Forum for 100 community-minded people – from different ages, suburbs, and backgrounds.
Register your interest now
Skip to main content
08 8375 6600 request support contact
log in

Marion Heritage Research Centre

What is the Marion Heritage Research Centre?

Marion is one of the oldest colonially-settled areas in Adelaide, and the Marion Heritage Research Centre is the place where documents and photographs relating to its history are collected, preserved, researched and shared.

As a branch of the Marion Libraries, the Marion Heritage Research Centre holds the contents of the former Local Studies section of the Park Holme Library, and is now the main repository where all historical acquisitions by the City of Marion are collected.

Research tools available

  • Our local and family history reference library contains over 900 items, including books relating to heritage both current to out-of-print, historical data sets, and a full set of the South Australian Births, Deaths and Marriage Registrations.
  • The 'Ancestry' website is free for the public to access on the Heritage Centre's computers. Please call to book a session. Ask about our free training sessions in Ancestry, Trove and other online resources.
  • Our online catalogue has over 9,000 items listed. We are also progressively uploading the item images.

What else do we have?

The research centre contains some great historical resources:

  • Archived photographs
  • Archived paper records
  • Historic maps and plans
  • Knowledgeable volunteers to assist with your enquiries
  • A select collection of objects on display
  • Free access to computers for relevant heritage websites
  • A quiet Reading Room/Library with table in which to spend time researching at your leisure.

What we are doing at the centre

Volunteers are working to make the records accessible by transcribing, describing, indexing and accessioning them.

We are also developing brochures, cataloguing the photographic collection, making user-friendly copies of fragile records and constantly working to make more of the collection accessible to visitors.

We collect mainly documents, photographs and ephemera. We welcome offers to donate or loan items. We rely on these to develop and enrich Marion's history held here, for the community.

Our Oral History program records the stories of people who have lived in or been a part of the City of Marion.

Other heritage organisations are flourishing in Marion and complement the work of the Marion Heritage Research Centre (MHRC).

We work harmoniously with them to provide an enhanced heritage experience for visitors including:


Marion Historical Society

From 1985 to 2022 the Marion Historical Society worked to increase interest in and knowledge about the history of the area which is now the City of Marion. Arguably, its greatest achievement was to persuade the Council to establish the Marion Heritage Research Centre (MHRC), which opened in 2013. The Marion Historical Society has now closed, but archived copies of the Marion Historical Society’s newsletters are accessible in the MHRC and copies from 2016 to 2022 are accessible below.

For more information on the Marion Historical Society:

To access archived copies of the Marion Historical Society Newsletters from 1985 to 2015 please visit the Marion Heritage Research Centre, which is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 am to 4 pm.

2022 Marion Historical Society Newsletters
2018 Marion Historical Society Newsletters

Marion Heritage Research Centre location

Located in the old 'Red House', next to our Administration building, the Marion Heritage Research Centre is an exciting focal point for history and cultural heritage in Marion.

Address: 245 Sturt Road, Sturt SA 5047
Postal: PO Box 21, Oaklands Park SA 5046

Marion Heritage Research Centre opening hours

We are open our normal Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 am to 4 pm.

It is advisable to call first to make an appointment to visit, to ensure a staff member’s availability for your enquiry.

Or, you are also welcome to send your enquiries via email: heritage@marion.sa.gov.au or telephone on 7420 6455.

We welcome you to the Marion Heritage Research Centre. We would love to hear about your link in the Marion story.