The District Councils Act 1887 was an act of the

Parliament of South Australia The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the 47-seat House of Assembly ( lower house) and the 22-seat Legislative Council (upper house). General elections are ...

. It received assent on 9 December 1887, and its provisions came into effect when proclaimed by Governor William C. F. Robinson on 5 January 1888. The legislation introduced local government to many areas of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

in which it had not previously existed, especially in the north and west of the state, and involved substantial change to many existing municipalities. In total, it involved the creation of 20 new councils, the expansion of 35 existing councils into lands previously without local government, and the amalgamation of 17 pre-existing councils into eight larger councils. The remaining existing councils were left unchanged, as were individual incorporated towns. The legislation fixed both a minimum number of five councillors and a maximum of ten councillors for District Councils across the state. The Governor appointed councillors for all of the new councils, to hold office for six months until elections could be held in July: these councillors were required to determine their own wards, assess rateable property and prepare rolls of ratepayers. The financial impact of the legislation had been a source of controversy both before and after its passage by parliament, and several northern councils protested to the government in 1888 about the arrangements for subsidies and license fees, arguing that they were inadequate to meet the cost of establishing the municipalities. There was lingering dissent around the authority of councils, in particular over the control of dams, wells and reservoirs, which the legislation had maintained as a state government responsibility. The individual councillors chosen by the Governor also met with staunch opposition in some districts, while the administrative impact of changes to councils already in office was the subject of debate at a local level. Three of the councils created by the act remain today: Elliston, Franklin Harbour and Streaky Bay.

Councils created

A total of 20 new district councils were created, bringing local government to huge swathes of unincorporated land. * District Council of Blanchetown * District Council of Broughton *

District Council of Coglin The District Council of Coglin was a local government area in South Australia. It came into operation on 5 January 1888 under the provisions of the ''District Councils Act 1887''. At its inception, it comprised the Hundreds of Cavenagh, Coglin, ...

District Council of Davenport Davenport may refer to: Places Australia *Davenport, Northern Territory, a locality * Hundred of Davenport, cadastral unit in South Australia **Davenport, South Australia, suburb of Port Augusta ** District Council of Davenport, former local gover ...

District Council of Elliston The District Council of Elliston is a local government area covering around 6500 km2 on the Western Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. Established in 1888, the district has a diverse economy, with agriculture, commercial fishing and tourism ...

* District Council of Eurelia *

District Council of Franklin Harbour The District Council of Franklin Harbour is a local government area in South Australia on the Eyre Peninsula. Cowell is the major population centre of an agricultural district based on farming wheat and sheep, supplemented by a fishing and oyste ...

District Council of Hawker The District Council of Hawker was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1997, centred on the town of Hawker. At its creation it was the northernmost local government area in the state. History It was established on 5 January ...

District Council of Kanyaka The District Council of Kanyaka was a local government area in South Australia that existed from 1888 to 1969. History The council was established on 5 January 1888 under the provisions of the ''District Councils Act 1887''. On creation, the co ...

District Council of Kingscote __NOTOC__ The District Council of Kingscote was a local government area located on the western part of Kangaroo Island in the Australian state of South Australia and which existed from 1888 to 1996. Origins It was one of the local government are ...

District Council of Meningie The District Council of Meningie was a local government area in the colony and then the Australian state of South Australia that existed from 1888 to 1997 on land in the state’s south-east. It was proclaimed on 5 January 1888 under the ''Di ...

District Council of Minlaton The District Council of Minlaton was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1997 seated at Minlaton on the Yorke Peninsula. History The District Council of Minlaton was officially proclaimed on 5 January 1888 by the ''Distri ...

District Council of Morgan The District Council of Morgan was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1997, centring on the town of Morgan. The council was established on 5 January 1888 following the passage of the '' District Councils Act 1887''. It compr ...

District Council of Orroroo The District Council of Orroroo was a local government area in South Australia, centred on the town of Orroroo. It was gazetted on 5 January 1888 under the provisions of the ''District Councils Act 1887'' and included all the land defined by th ...

District Council of Port Germein The District Council of Port Germein was a local government area in South Australia, centred on the town of Port Germein. It was gazetted on 5 January 1888 under the provisions of the ''District Councils Act 1887'' and encompassed the hundreds of ...

District Council of Snowtown The District Council of Snowtown was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1987. History The District Council of Snowtown was officially proclaimed on 5 January 1888 by the ''District Councils Act 1887'' as constituting the Hu ...

District Council of Streaky Bay The District Council of Streaky Bay is a local government area in South Australia located on the Eyre Peninsula. Streaky Bay is the main population centre of about 1,200 people serving an agricultural district based on farming wheat and other ...

District Council of Terowie The District Council of Terowie was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1935, centring on the town of Terowie. It was established by the ''District Councils Act 1887'', which took effect from 5 January 1888. The creation of t ...

District Council of Wilmington The District Council of Wilmington was a local government area in South Australia, centred on the town of Wilmington from 1888 to 1980. History The council was gazetted on 5 January 1888 under the provisions of the ''District Councils Act 1887 ...

* District Council of Yorke Peninsula

Amalgamations

16 pre-existing district councils were amalgamated to form eight. * The District Council of Alexandrina was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Bremer along with the previously unincorporated Hundred of Brinkley. * The District Council of Barossa East and the

District Council of Barossa West A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municipa ...

were amalgamated into the new District Council of Barossa. * The

District Council of Black Springs A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Stanley. * The District Council of Flaxman's Valley was amalgamated into the existing District Council of South Rhine. * The

District Council of Glanville The District Council of Glanville was a local government area in South Australia from 1864 to 1888. History It was first proclaimed on 14 July 1864. A month later on 11 August, another proclamation rescinded the initial proclamation, due to an er ...

was amalgamated into the existing

District Council of Woodville The City of Woodville was a local government area in South Australia from 1875 to 1993, seated at the inner north west Adelaide suburb of Woodville. History The District Council of Hindmarsh, covering the north west suburbs of Adelaide, had b ...

. * The District Council of Myponga was amalgamated into the existing

District Council of Yankalilla The District Council of Yankalilla is a local government area centred on the town of Yankalilla on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. It was created on 23 October 1856, when the District Council of Yankalilla and Myponga was divided i ...

. * The

District Council of Narridy The District Council of Narridy was a local government area in South Australia, centred on the town of Narridy and the surrounding cadastral hundred of the same name. It was proclaimed on 2 March 1876 with responsibility for the Hundred of Narrid ...

was amalgamated into the existing

District Council of Georgetown The District Council of Georgetown was a local government area in South Australia, centred on the town of Georgetown. History It was proclaimed on 2 March 1876 as the District Council of George Town, encompassing the cadastral Hundred of Bundale ...

along with the unincorporated portions of the hundreds of Yackamoorundie and

Bundaleer Bundaleer Station was a pastoral lease that operated as a sheep station in South Australia. It is situated approximately south of Jamestown and north of Spalding. The property was established in 1841 by John Bristow Hughes and occupied a ...

. * The

District Council of Wirrega The District Council of Wirrega was a short-lived local government area in South Australia in existence from 1884 to 1888. The introduction of local government to the Mallee region in the 1870s had been the subject of significant local conflict ...

was amalgamated into the existing District Council of Tatiara along with the unincorporated portion of the

Hundred of Tatiara The Hundred of Tatiara is a Hundred of the County of Buckingham centered on Bordertown, and Wolseley, South Australia Wolseley (formerly Tatiara) is a small South Australian town near the Victorian border. It is five kilometres south of the ...

, the hundreds of

Parsons Parsons may refer to: Places In the United States: * Parsons, Kansas, a city * Parsons, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Parsons, Tennessee, a city * Parsons, West Virginia, a town * Camp Parsons, a Boy Scout camp in the state of Washingt ...

and

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

, the as yet ungazetted hundreds of Willalooka, Pendleton, Cannawigara and Senior in the County of Buckingham, and the as yet ungazetted hundreds of Beeamma and Geegeela in the County of MacDonnell.

Councils expanded

A total of 35 district councils were expanded in an effort to ensure unincorporated portions of settled lands would be subject to local government. * The

District Council of Queenstown and Alberton The District Council of Queenstown and Alberton was a local government area of South Australia established in 1864 and abolished in 1898. The council was named for its constituent suburban townships of Queenstown and Alberton (originally Quee ...

gained a small portion of the

Hundred of Yatala The Hundred of Yatala is a cadastral unit of hundred in South Australia covering much of the Adelaide metropolitan area north of the River Torrens. It is one of the eleven hundreds of the County of Adelaide stretching from the Torrens in the sout ...

south of the

Corporate Town of Port Adelaide The City of Port Adelaide was a local government area of South Australia centred at the port of Adelaide from 1855 to 1996. Early years The council was established on 27 December 1855 when the Corporate Town of Port Adelaide was proclaimed as ...

and north west of the present-day suburb of Queenstown. * The

District Council of Munno Para West The District Council of Munno Mara West was a local government area of South Australia on the central Adelaide Plains from 1854 to 1933. History The council was established on 27 April 1854, bringing local government to the western half of the ...

gained an unincorporated northern portion of the

Hundred of Port Adelaide The Hundred of Port Adelaide is a cadastral hundred covering the vicinity of Port Adelaide, Lefevre Peninsula and the coast of the central Adelaide Plains south of Gawler River and west of Port Wakefield Road. It is one of the eleven hundreds o ...

. * The

District Council of Mannum The District Council of Mannum was a local government area in South Australia from 1877 to 1997, centring on the town of Mannum. It was proclaimed on 23 August 1877, comprising the cadastral Hundred of Finniss, "situated between the eastern fringe ...

gained the Hundred of Younghusband. * The District Council of Caurnamont gained the Hundred of Forster. * The

District Council of Port Wakefield The District Council of Port Wakefield was a local government area seated at Port Wakefield in South Australia from 1878 to 1983. History The District Council of Port Wakefield was officially proclaimed along with its new neighbouring councils ...

gained the

Hundred of Cameron The Hundred of Cameron is a cadastral unit of hundred located in the Mid North of South Australia centred on Lake Bumbunga. The northern Hummock Range occupies much of the western half of the area and the Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line runs ...

. * The

District Council of English The District Council of English was a local government area in South Australia from 1878 to 1932. The council was proclaimed on 31 October 1878, consisting of the whole of the cadastral Hundred of English, in which residents had been advocating ...

gained the

Hundred of Bower Bower may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Catherine, or The Bower'', an unfinished Jane Austen novel * A high-ranking card (usually a Jack) in certain card games: ** The Right and Left Bower (or Bauer), the two highest-ranking cards in the g ...

. * The

District Council of Apoinga The District Council of Apoinga was a local government area in South Australia from 1873 to 1932. The council was proclaimed on 6 November 1873. It opened council chambers at Logan Gap on 23 September 1876, at a cost of £78/10-. The main business ...

gained the hundreds of

Bright Bright may refer to: Common meanings *Bright, an adjective meaning giving off or reflecting illumination; see Brightness *Bright, an adjective meaning someone with intelligence People * Bright (surname) * Bright (given name) *Bright, the stage na ...

and Bundey. * The

District Council of Blyth The District Council of Blyth was a local government area in South Australia from 1872 to 1987 seated at Blyth in the Mid North. History The District Council of Blyth was officially proclaimed on 11 January 1872 as constituting the entirety of ...

gained the

Hundred of Everard Everard Central (; postcode: 5461) is a locality in South Australia's Mid North. The locality is situated in approximately the southern two thirds of the cadastral Hundred of Everard. Hundred of Everard The Hundred of Everard is the cadastral ...

. * The District Council of Green's Plains became the

District Council of Kadina The District Council of Kadina was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1984. History It was established by the '' District Councils Act 1887'', which took effect from 5 January 1888. It comprised the former District Council ...

and gained all unincorporated portions of the hundreds of Kadina and

Wallaroo Wallaroo is a common name for several species of moderately large macropods, intermediate in size between the kangaroos and the wallabies. The word "wallaroo" is from the Dharug ''walaru'', and not a portmanteau of the words "kangaroo" and "wal ...

. The change was not explicitly declared to be a renaming of the existing council, and was the subject of considerable local debate, particularly by ratepayers in the former council of Green's Plains. * The District Council of Clinton gained the

Hundred of Tiparra The Hundred of Tiparra is a cadastral unit of hundred located in the Mid North of South Australia. It is one of the 16 hundreds of the County of Daly and was proclaimed by Governor Dominick Daly in 1862. The main town in the hundred is Arthurt ...

. * The

District Council of Melville A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

gained the hundreds of Carribie, Coonarie, Para Wurlie and Warrenben, and the unincorporated portion of the

Hundred of Moorowie County of Fergusson is a cadastral unit located in the Australian state of South Australia which spans Yorke Peninsula south of Price. It was proclaimed in 1869 by Governor Fergusson after whom the county was named. Description The County ...

. * The

District Council of Ninnes Ninnes is the name of several places: * Ninnes, Cornwall * Ninnes Bridge, Cornwall * Ninnes, South Australia, locality and former village ** District Council of Ninnes, former local government ** Hundred of Ninnes, cadastral division {{geodi ...

gained the hundreds of Tickera and Wiltunga. * The

District Council of Hutt and Hill Rivers The District Council of Hutt and Hill Rivers was a local government area in South Australia. It was established on 30 July 1885 and included the entirety of the Hundred of Milne as well as the south half of the Hundred of Andrews. It gained the ...

gained the Hundred of Hart. * The District Council of Booborowie gained the Hundred of Anne. * The

District Council of Caltowie The District Council of Caltowie was a local government area in South Australia, centred on the town of Caltowie and surrounding cadastral Hundred of Caltowie. It came into operation on 28 February 1878, with the first five councillors appointed ...

gained the Hundred of Tarcowie. * The

District Council of Crystal Brook The District Council of Crystal Brook was a local government area in South Australia from 1882 until 1988, seated at Crystal Brook. History The Hundred of Crystal Brook was released for settlement under the Strangways Land Act with the first lan ...

gained the unincorporated portions of the hundreds of Pirie and Crystal Brook, the hundreds of Napperby and Wandearah, and a southern portion of the Wirrabara Forest Reserve (the as yet ungazetted Hundred of Howe). * The

District Council of Gladstone The District Council of Gladstone was a local government area in South Australia. It was proclaimed on 10 August 1876 as the District Council of Yangya, named for the cadastral Hundred of Yangya, but was renamed Gladstone after its main town on 1 ...

gained the unincorporated portion of the

Hundred of Yangya The Hundred of Yangya is a cadastral unit of hundred in the County of Victoria, South Australia straddling the towns and localities of Gladstone, South Australia, Gladstone, Caltowie, South Australia, Caltowie, West Bundaleer, South Australia, Wes ...

. * The District Council of Belalie gained the Hundred of Whyte and the unincorporated portion of the Hundred of Belalie. * The District Council of Yongala gained the hundreds of Morgan and Mannanarie. * The

District Council of Hallett The District Council of Hallett was a local government area in South Australia from 1877 to 1997. The council was proclaimed on 13 September 1877 representing the Hundred of Hallett, establishing a council of eight members divided into four wards ...

gained the Hundred of Tomkinson and the unincorporated portion of the Hundred of Hallett. * The

District Council of Mount Bryan The District Council of Mount Bryan was a local government area in South Australia from 1874 to 1935. It was established on 29 October 1874, when it was detached from the District Council of Burra. It gained the Hundred of Mongolata and the Hundre ...

gained the hundreds of Mongolata and Rees. * The

District Council of Burra The District Council of Burra was a local government area in South Australia from 1872 to 1935. The council was proclaimed on 28 September 1872, comprising the whole of the cadastral Hundred of Kooringa and the southern portion of the Hundred of ...

gained the hundreds of Baldina and

King King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

. * The

District Council of Lacepede Lacepede can refer to: * Bernard Germain de Lacépède (1756–1825), French naturalist and politician. * Lacepede Bay, a bay in South Australia. * Lacépède, Lot-et-Garonne, a ''commune'' in France * Lacepede Islands, a group of four islands in ...

gained the unincorporated portion of the hundred of Lacepede, the hundreds of Bowaka, Duffield, Minecrow, Mount Benson and Murrabinna, and the as yet ungazetted hundreds of

Landseer Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (7 March 1802 – 1 October 1873) was an English painter and sculptor, well known for his animal art, paintings of animals – particularly horses, dogs, and stags. However, his best-known works are the lion sculptures ...

Peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...

, Marcollat and Woolumbool in the County of MacDonnell. * The

District Council of Naracoorte A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

gained the hundreds of Binnum,

Glen Roy Glen Roy ( gd, Gleann Ruaidh, meaning "red glen") in the Lochaber area of the Highlands of Scotland is a glen noted for the geological phenomenon of three loch terraces known as the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy. The terraces formed along the s ...

, Hynam, Jessie,

Joanna Joanna is a feminine given name deriving from from he, יוֹחָנָה, translit=Yôḥānāh, lit=God is gracious. Variants in English include Joan (given name), Joan, Joann, Joanne (given name), Joanne, and Johanna. Other forms of the name in ...

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creation ...

, and

Robertson Robertson may refer to: People * Robertson (surname) (includes a list of people with this name) * Robertson (given name) * Clan Robertson, a Scottish clan * Robertson, stage name of Belgian magician Étienne-Gaspard Robert (1763–1837) Places ...

. * The District Council of Lucindale gained the hundreds of Conmurra, Spence and

Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to: Places United States *Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York *Townsend, Delaware *Townsend, Georgia *Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Townsend ...

. * The

District Council of Robe The District Council of Robe is a local government area located in the Limestone Coast area of South Australia. The main offices are in Robe, the town after which the council is named. The district relies on a mix of agriculture, fisheries and t ...

gained the hundreds of Bray,

Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

and

Smith Smith may refer to: People * Metalsmith, or simply smith, a craftsman fashioning tools or works of art out of various metals * Smith (given name) * Smith (surname), a family name originating in England, Scotland and Ireland ** List of people wi ...

, and the unincorporated portion of the Hundred of Waterhouse. * The

District Council of Beachport A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

gain the

Hundred of Symon 100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101. In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to des ...

and the unincorporated portion of the

Hundred of Lake George 100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101. In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to des ...

and a central unincorporated portion of the

Hundred of Rivoli Bay 100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101. In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to des ...

. * The

District Council of Kennion A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...

gained the hundreds of Coles,

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

, Riddoch and

Short Short may refer to: Places * Short (crater), a lunar impact crater on the near side of the Moon * Short, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Short, Oklahoma, a census-designated place People * Short (surname) * List of people known as ...

. * The

District Council of Mount Muirhead The District Council of Mount Muirhead was a local government area in South Australia from 1888 to 1914. History According to South Australian local government historian Sue Marsden "development of South Australia's South East was greatly helped ...

was expanded from the pre-existing Drainage District of Mount Muirhead, gaining a portion of the

Hundred of Mount Muirhead The Hundred of Mount Muirhead is a cadastral division of the County of Grey in southeastern South Australia. It was named on 15 July 1869 for the geographical feature of the same name which, in turn, was named by Charles Bonney for one of his sto ...

and the remaining unincorporated southern portion of the

"south of the cutting from Lake Frome to the sea". * The

District Council of Tantanoola The District Council of Tantanoola was a Local government areas of South Australia, local government area seated at Tantanoola, South Australia, Tantanoola in South Australia from 1888 to circa 1960. History According to South Australian local g ...

was expanded from the pre-existing Drainage District of Tantanoola, gaining the remaining portion of the unincorporated portion of the Hundred of Hindmarsh. * The District Council of Penola gained the hundreds of Comaum,

Grey Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

, Killanoola, Monbulla, Nangwarry, and the unincorporated portion of the

Hundred of Penola The County of Grey is one of the 49 cadastral counties of South Australia. It was proclaimed in 1846 by Governor Frederick Robe and named for former Governor George Grey. It covers the extreme south-east of the state from Penola and Lake Georg ...

. * The District Council of Mount Gambier East gained the

Hundred of Mingbool The Hundred of Mingbool is a cadastral division of the County of Grey in southeastern South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. It ...

. * The District Council of Mount Gambier West gained the Hundred of Young. * The

District Council of Port MacDonnell The District Council of Grant is a local government area located in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia, and is the southernmost council in the state. The council was formed on 1 July 1996 after the amalgamation of the District Coun ...

gained the remaining unincorporated portion of the Hundred of Caroline. * The

District Council of Lincoln The District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula is a local government area located on Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. The district covers the southern tip of the peninsula, except for the small area taken up by the City of Port Lincoln. The m ...

gained the entire remaining unincorporated portion of the

County of Flinders The County of Flinders is one of the 49 cadastral counties of South Australia. The county covers the southern part of the Eyre Peninsula “bounded on the north by a line connecting Point Drummond with Cape Burr, and on all other sides by the ...

References

{{Reflist South Australia legislation Local government in South Australia

Councils created

Amalgamations

Councils expanded

See also

References