History of Burnside - District Councils

District Councils

Originally, all the villages in what was to become the Burnside District Council were in the then East Torrens District Council of 159 km2 (61 sq mi). East Torrens bordered the River Torrens in the north, the Adelaide Hills to the east, Mount Barker Road to the south, and the Adelaide Parklands to the west. East Torrens was gazetted in 1853 by the District Councils Act 1852; the Act stipulated that there be five elected members to the council, each representing a ward. Dr David Wark (St Bernards), James Cobbledick (Uraidla), Charles Bonney (Norwood), Daniel Ferguson (Glenunga) and George Müller (Stepney) were the council's first representatives. Bonney, in addition to being a councillor, was the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The councillors met for the first time at World's End Hotel in Magill on 12 June 1853. Initial plans were put in place to first survey and evaluate the council area and to collect licence fees and taxes as provided for by the Councils Act. TB Penfold of Magill, a former captain, was to become the first District Clerk and Collector on 1 January 1854. On 4 January 1854 there was a vote in which ratepayers decided on how much they would pay to the council (one shilling to a pound); it was also decided at this point to exempt charitable organisations, schools and churches from rates. In 1855 the population of the council area was 3,705, higher by a thousand than the adjacent Norwood-Kensington. The huge East Torrens was not to prove as stable as Norwood-Kensington. Ratepayers were frustrated as to where their money was going; councillors did not have the administration or funds to operate effectively and the interests of the area were hugely varied. The area was split into three in 14 August 1856. The District Council of Payneham separated and formed to the north-west and the District Council of Burnside was formed in the south-eastern corner in an area of 15.9 km2 (6.1 sq mi). East Torrens was further divided in 1858 with the secession of District Council of Crafers.