In Adelaide, Paul Kelly Now Has His Own Lane

In Melbourne, there is an AC/DC Lane, and in Brisbane, there is a Go-Betweens Bridge. In Adelaide, a new monument has been erected to honor the city’s musical heritage and, in particular, Paul Kelly.

Paul Kelly Lane, located behind the Adelaide Town Hall, is named after the renowned musician.

“I’m honored to be a part of this musical laneway project, and I’m glad the lane is so close to the Adelaide Town Hall, where I’ve had a relationship for over 50 years, from playing trumpet at school speech nights, attending concerts, and, later, doing my own shows,” he told guests at the formal unveiling last week.

In 2017, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his “distinguished service to the performing arts and the promotion of national identity through contributions as a singer, songwriter, and musician.”
Inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1997; shares a Redcliffe, Queensland, neighborhood with Graeme Bell and the Bee Gees; each has its own street name.
Kelly received one of Australia’s highest honors at the 2011 APRA Awards: the Ted Albert Award for outstanding services to Australian music.
Adelaide holds the distinction of being the country’s first and only UNESCO City of Music.
Adelaide has four “City of Music” laneways, the others honoring Sia Furler, Cold Chisel, and No Fixed Address, and recently hosted the annual Indie-Con gathering of the domestic independent music industry as well as the 2022 AIR Awards.
“He is one of our greatest musicians,” says Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, “and it is incredible to honor his extraordinary contribution to Adelaide’s musical heritage with the naming of this laneway.” Paul’s songs and stories are popular among people of all ages and speak to the Australian identity, so he deserves to be recognized.

Verschoor has also promised a permanent memorial to the late artists Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter.