The historic Beehive Corner at the western end of the mall.
This section of Rundle Street was converted from a busy and too narrow thoroughfare to a mall in 1976.
In its early days a fountain was located in the central mall at the intersection of Gawler Place. This was later moved a few metres north to be wholly in Gawler Place, it has now been removed.
The mall is noted for its tree-lined walkways and scuptures, particularly the steel balls sculpture in the centre of the mall which has become a popular meeting place.
There are several licensed bars, plenty of restaurants and coffee houses, and it contains all the major department stores.
An information centre will be found at the western end of the mall.
There are many historic buildings in the mall precinct. Of particular interest is Beehive Corner at the western end of the mall (now Haigs Chocolates).
The suggestion that Rundle Street become a pedestrian mall was raised many time in the 1970s under Premier Don Dunstan, who initiated moves for its conversion.
In Januaray 1975 a mall design architect, Ian Hannaford, was appointed and a team of Project Managers began reporting to a Rundle Mall Steering Committee chaired by the then Lord Mayor. The committee, established in 1973, consisted of representatives of the State Government, Adelaide City Council, and Rundle Street Traders.
In September of 1973 the committee had forwarded a report to the then Minister for Transport and Local Government, the Hon. Geoff Virgo, concluding there were " ..no insurmountable traffic problems to the closure of Rundle Street and its conversion to a pedestrian mall ".
They also favoured a full mall, rather than a partial one with restricted traffic flow. Initial 1974 cost estimates ranged from $650,000 to $830,000 depending on the method of laying pavers. The latter estimate proved to be the cost.
Hannaford and Associates then prepared a detailed design of the mall under the guidance of the Steering Committee using a restful, Mediterranean concept.
The first work on the conversion began in march 1975 when the Engineering and Water Supply Department moved in to reconstruct joints of the main sewer. This work took about 3 months and the road was temporarily re-opened to traffic.
On August 2nd. 1976. a Mall Management Committee was appointed to replace the Steering Committee. A Mall Manager had been appointed in 1975 to report to the committee and liaise with all parties concerned.
The mall was officially opened by Premier Don Dunstan on the 1st. of September 1976 in the presence of some 10,000 people. A 19th. century fountain was switched on and the official party sipped champagne as the fountain bubbled forth even more.