The National Trust of South Australia has managed the Ayers House Museum on North Terrace in Adelaide on behalf of the Government of South Australia since 1973, having saved the building from demolition in the 1960s. On 10 June 2021, the National Trust was served a 30 day eviction notice by the Government of South Australia.

The Ayers House Museum is one of the finest nineteenth century house museums in Australia, staffed largely by volunteers and operating for 50 years without any government funding. It is a unique historical environment, much loved by international tourists and local children alike. Many thousands of people have donated their time and thousands of historical objects to create a place like no other.

Now, the government wants to replace the museum with government offices and extended private catering facilities. To do this public access will be curtailed and the work done by the National Trust and thousands of volunteers, donors and staff over 50 years will be lost.

We call on the Government of South Australia to rescind its eviction notice and fulfil its commitment to the National Trust for an ongoing long-term lease and funding for its vision of a world class and wholly public cultural destination for the future.