District Council of Karoonda East Murray

The District Council of Karoonda East Murray is a local government area in the Murray Mallee area of South Australia. The main council offices are in Karoonda.^[4]

District Council of Karoonda East Murray South Australia
Location of the District Council of Karoonda East Murray
Coordinates	35.0188°S 140.1306°E / -35.0188; 140.1306
• Density	0,23/km2 (60/sq mi)
Established	1979
Area	4,415 km2 (1,704.6 sq mi)
Mayor	Caroline Philips[1]
Council seat	Karoonda
Region	Murray and Mallee[2]
State electorate(s)	Chaffey[3]
Federal division(s)	Barker[3]
Website	District Council of Karoonda East Murray
LGAs around District Council of Karoonda East Murray: Mid Murray Council District Council of Loxton Waikerie District Council of Loxton Waikerie Mid Murray Council District Council of Karoonda East Murray Southern Mallee District Council Rural City of Murray Bridge Coorong District Council Southern Mallee District Council

The council area covers 4,415 square kilometres and had a population of approximately 1,100 at the 2016 Census.^[5] The annual average rainfall is 350 mm.

It is entirely in the state electorate of Chaffey and the federal Division of Barker.^[3]

History

The council was established in 1979 when the District Council of Karoonda (established 1922) and the District Council of East Murray (established 1923) amalgamated.^[4]

The township of Karoonda was established in 1913 when the mallee railway lines were put in place to open the area to grain growing, as previous pastoral runs had failed.

Geography

It includes the towns and localities of Bakara, Borrika, Copeville, Galga, Halidon, Karoonda, Marama, Mindarie, Perponda, Sandalwood, Wanbi and Wynarka, as well as parts of Bowhill, Mantung and Mercunda.^[3]

Councillors

Ward	Councillor		Notes
Mayor[1]		Caroline Phillips
Unsubdivided[1]		Yvonne Smith
		Kevin Burdett
		Daryl Sparks
		Russell Norman
		Simon Martin
		Darren Zadow

The District Council of Karoonda East Murray has a directly-elected mayor.^[6]

Mayors and chairmen of Karoonda East Murray

• Allan Ernest Arbon (1979-1981)^[7]
• Douglas James (Doug) Fullston (1981-1993)^[7]
• Allan Ernest Arbon (1993-2000)^[7]
• Kevin Burdett (2000-2018)^[8]
• Caroline Phillips (2018–Present)