Local government in the Australian state of South Australia describes the organisations and processes by which towns and districts can manage their own affairs to the extent permitted by section 64A of Constitution Act 1934 (SA).[1]

LGAs sorted by region

The organisations, often called local government areas (LGAs) are constituted and managed in accordance with the Local Government Act 1999 (South Australia). They are grouped below by region, as defined by the Local Government Association of South Australia.[2] Maralinga Tjarutja and Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara aboriginal councils both located in the remote north of the state are by far the largest South Australian LGAs, both exceeding 100,000 km2.[3] Coorong District Council and Loxton Waikerie are the next largest LGAs.[3] The smallest LGAs are Walkerville and then Prospect, both occupying less than 10 km2 each.[3]

The area with the largest population growth was Playford in Adealide's northern suburbs with a net increase of 2,847 people from June 2021 to June 2022.[3] Port Pirie had the largest net reduction in population of 106.[3] The fastest growth of an LGA in South Australia was in Adelaide Plains at 4.9 percent.[3] Coober Pedy was the fastest shrinking LGA, at -3.0 percent.[3]

Metropolitan Adelaide

This group of areas are found around Metropolitan Adelaide along a 70 km stretch of the Gulf St Vincent coast and up to 50 km inland.

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
City of Adelaide Adelaide 1840 16 6 1677 25,551 26,120 Capital city of South Australia
1840 Established as Adelaide Corporation
1843 Managed by the Colonial government, and then a commission
1852 Re-established
1919 Office of Mayor raised to Lord Mayor
Adelaide Hills Council Woodside 1997 795 307 52 41,250 41,448 Amalgamation of District Councils of East Torrens, Gumeracha, Onkaparinga and Stirling
City of Burnside Tusmore 1856 28 11 1,697 46,444 46,692 1856 gazetted as District Council of Burnside
1935 became the Municipality of Burnside
1943 proclaimed the City of Burnside
City of Campbelltown Rostrevor 1854 24 9 2,301 55,475 56,013 1854 established as the District Council of Payneham
1867 District Council of Stepney (later itself called Payneham) seceded
1868 renamed to District Council of Campbelltown
1946 became the Town of Campbelltown
1960 proclaimed the City of Campbelltown
City of Charles Sturt Woodville 1997 55 21 2,280 123,146 124,906 Amalgamation of City of Hindmarsh Woodville and the City of Henley and Grange
Town of Gawler Gawler 1857 41 16 635 25,304 26,123 Established as the Corporation of the Town of Gawler in 1857 following resident dissatisfaction at being governed by three different district councils
City of Holdfast Bay Brighton 1997 14 5 2,768 37,868 38,061 Amalgamation of Glenelg and Brighton city councils
City of Marion Sturt 1853 56 22 1,737 95,650 96,658 1853 established as the District Council of Brighton
1886 renamed to the District Council of Marion
1944 gazetted as the municipality, City of Marion
City of Mitcham Torrens Park 1853 76 29 905 68,180 68,403 First LGA formally founded after the City of Adelaide
City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters Norwood 1997 15 6 2,516 37,850 38,001 Amalgamation of the City of Kensington and Norwood, the City of Payneham and the Town of St Peters.
City of Onkaparinga Noarlunga Centre 1997 518 200 345 176,628 178,546 Amalgamation of Cities of Happy Valley and Noarlunga with part of the District Council of Willunga
City of Playford Elizabeth 1997 345 133 300 100,573 103,420 Amalgamation of the cities of Elizabeth and Munno Para
City of Port Adelaide Enfield Port Adelaide 1997 92 36 1,480 134,202 135,844 Amalgamation of the cities of Port Adelaide and Enfield
City of Prospect Prospect 1872 8 3 2,919 22,497 22,741 Separated from District Council of Yatala South
City of Salisbury Salisbury 1933 160 62 926 147,602 148,003 Amalgamation of District Council of Yatala North and large part of District Council of Munno Para West
City of Tea Tree Gully Modbury 1858 95 37 1,078 102,067 102,666 1858 established by separation from District Council of Highercombe
1935 reunited with Highercombe under current name
City of Unley Unley 1871 14 5 2,739 39,082 39,085 Separated from District Council of Mitcham as the Corporate Town of Unley
Town of Walkerville Gilberton 1855 4 2 2,317 8,091 8,179 Separated from District Council of Yatala
City of West Torrens Hilton 1856 37 14 1,702 62,469 63,105 1856 established as the District Council of West Torrens
1944 became a municipal corporation, the Corporate Town of West Torrens
1950 gained city status as the City of West Torrens
1997 annexed the Town of Thebarton

Regional South Australia

Eyre Peninsula

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
District Council of Ceduna Ceduna 1896 5,427 2,095 0.7 3,651 3,650
District Council of Cleve Cleve 1911 4,507 1,740 0.4 1,776 1,765 Separated from Franklin Harbour
District Council of Elliston Elliston 1887 6,500 2,510 0.2 1,038 1,037 Boundary changes in 1989
District Council of Franklin Harbour Cowell 1888 3,583 1,383 0.5 1,323 1,323
District Council of Kimba Kimba 1924 3,986 1,539 0.2 1,053 1,057
District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula Cummins 1921 4,771 1,842 1.3 6,060 6,100 Part of District Council of Port Lincoln (proclaimed 1880). District Council of Tumby Bay separated in 1906. Corporation of Port Lincoln separated in 1921. Remainder named District Council of Lincoln. Renamed Lower Eyre Peninsula in 1988.
City of Port Augusta Port Augusta 1964 1,153 445 12.5 14,453 14,456
City of Port Lincoln Port Lincoln 1921 30 12 492.2 14,880 14,947 Separated from District Council of Port Lincoln in 1921. Proclaimed a city in 1971.
District Council of Streaky Bay Streaky Bay 1887 6,232 2,406 0.4 2,241 2,254
District Council of Tumby Bay Tumby Bay 1906 2,616 1,010 1.1 2,875 2,889 Separated from District Council of Port Lincoln
City of Whyalla Whyalla 1970 1,033 399 20.4 21,960 21,894
Wudinna District Council Wudinna 1925 5,394 2,083 0.2 1,163 1,164 Established as the District Council of Minnipa. Later renamed as District Council of Le Hunte. Given present name in 2008.

Central region

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
Adelaide Plains Council Mallala 1935 933 360 11.2 9,977 10,461 Amalgamation of the district councils of Grace, Dublin and Port Gawler
Barossa Council Angaston 1996 894 345 29.0 25,569 25,878 Amalgamation of district councils of Angaston, Barossa, Tanunda and, since 1997, part of Mount Pleasant
District Council of Barunga West Port Broughton 1997 1,590 614 1.7 2,676 2,676 Amalgamation of the District Council of Bute and the District Council of Port Broughton
District Council of Clare and Gilbert Valleys Clare 1997 1,892 731 5.0 9,366 9,393 Amalgamation of the district councils of Clare, Riverton and Saddleworth and Auburn
Copper Coast Council Kadina 1997 773 298 20.3 15,336 15,652 Amalgamation of the District Council of Northern Yorke Peninsula and Corporate Town of Wallaroo
Flinders Range Council Quorn 1997 4,071 1,572 0.4 1,686 1,682 Amalgamation of the District Council of Kanyaka-Quorn and the District Council of Hawker
Regional Council of Goyder Burra 1997 6,715 2,593 0.6 4,138 4,134 Amalgamation of the district councils of Burra Burra Eudunda, Hallet and Robertstown.
Light Regional Council Kapunda 1996 1,277 493 12.8 16,083 16,332 Amalgamation of the District Council of Light (1977–1996) and the District Council of Kapunda
District Council of Mount Remarkable Melrose 1980 3,423 1,322 0.9 2,921 2,915 Amalgamation of District Council of Port Germein and District Council of Wilmington
Northern Areas Council Jamestown 1997 2,986 1,153 1.6 4,659 4,671 Amalgamation of the district councils of Rocky River, Spalding, and Jamestown
District Council of Orroroo Carrieton Orroroo 1997 3,322 1,283 0.3 891 890 Amalgamation of the District Council of Orroroo and District Council of Carrieton
District Council of Peterborough Peterborough 1935 3,020 1,166 0.6 1,669 1,670
Port Pirie Regional Council Port Pirie 1997 1,761 680 10.0 17,754 17,648 Amalgamation of the City of Port Pirie and the District Council of Crystal Brook-Redhill
Wakefield Regional Council Balaklava 1997 3,469 1,339 2.0 6,926 6,958 Amalgamation of the District Council of Blyth-Snowtown and District Council of Wakefield Plains
Yorke Peninsula Council Maitland 1997 5,900 2,278 2.0 11,828 11,922 Established as the District Council of Yorke Peninsula in 1997 by amalgamation of the district councils of Central Yorke Peninsula, Minlaton, Warooka and Yorketown.
Renamed in 2013.

Southern and Hills region

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
Alexandrina Council Goolwa 1997 1,827 705 16.3 29,257 29,780 Amalgamation of the District Council of Strathalbyn, the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, and a portion of the District Council of Willunga.
Kangaroo Island Council Kingscote 1996 4,401 1,699 1.2 4,999 5,084 Amalgamation of the District Council of Kingscote and the District Council of Dudley.
District Council of Mount Barker Mount Barker 1853 595 230 69.0 39,627 41,059
City of Victor Harbor Victor Harbor 1975 385 149 43.5 16,427 16,720 Amalgamation of District Council of Encounter Bay and the Corporation of Victor Harbor in 1975. Formerly a district council, became a city in 2000.
District Council of Yankalilla Yankalilla 1854 751 290 8.0 5,928 5,998

Murray Mallee region

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
Berri Barmera Council Berri 1996 476 184 22.5 10,747 10,713 Amalgamation of district councils of Barmera and Berri.
Coorong District Council Meningie 1995 8,833 3,410 0.6 5,599 5,569 Amalgamation of District Council of Coonalpyn Downs, Peake District Council and Meningie District Council.
District Council of Karoonda East Murray Karoonda 1979 4,416 1,705 0.2 1,025 1,028 Amalgamation of District Council of Karoonda and District Council of East Murray.
District Council of Loxton Waikerie Loxton 1997 7,764 2,998 1.5 11,922 11,928 Amalgamation of district councils of Loxton, Waikerie and Browns Well.
Mid Murray Council Mannum 1997 6,272 2,422 1.5 9,355 9,415 Amalgamation of district councils of Mannum, Morgan, Ridley-Truro and part of the District Council of Mount Pleasant.
Rural City of Murray Bridge Murray Bridge 1977 1,832 707 12.3 22,348 22,554
Renmark Paringa Council Renmark 1996 916 354 11.0 10,009 10,044 Amalgamation of Town of Renmark and the District Council of Paringa.
Southern Mallee District Council Pinnaroo 1997 5,702 2,202 0.4 2,029 2,013

Southeast region

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
District Council of Grant Mount Gambier 1996 1,898 733 4.7 8,862 8,925 Amalgamation of District Councils of Mount Gambier and Port MacDonnell.
Kingston District Council Kingston SE 1873 3,340 1,290 0.7 2,375 2,389 Renamed from Lacepede District Council in 2000.
City of Mount Gambier Mount Gambier 1876 34 13 819.4 27,642 27,771
Naracoorte Lucindale Council Naracoorte 1993 4,520 1,745 2.0 8,896 8,928 Amalgamation of District Council of Naracoorte, District Council of Lucindale and the Corporate Township of Naracoorte.
District Council of Robe Robe 1869 1,092 422 1.5 1,568 1,583
Tatiara District Council Bordertown 1876 6,527 2,520 1.1 7,072 7,040
Wattle Range Council Millicent 1997 3,926 1,516 3.1 12,127 12,163 Amalgamation of district councils of Beachport, Millicent and Penola.

Outback

Local government area Council seat Year est. Land area Population[3] Notes Map
km² sq mi Density (2022)[3] 2021 2022
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Umuwa 1981 102,353 39,519 0.0 2,554 2,595
District Council of Coober Pedy Coober Pedy 1987 78 30 20.3 1,624 1,576
Maralinga Tjarutja Ceduna 2006 102,704 39,654 0.0 102 102
Municipal Council of Roxby Downs Roxby Downs 1982 111 43 37.2 4,115 4,105

Maps

See also

References

  1. ^ "Constitution Act 1934 – Section 64A". Australasian Legal Information Institute. Government of South Australia. 1934. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  2. ^ "Council Maps". LGASA Official Site. Local Government Association of South Australia. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Regional population, 2021-22 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

Further reading

External links

Local government in Australia
Local government areas of South Australia
Former local government areas in South Australia
South Australia
Politics of Australia
Categories