Wakefield Regional Council is a local government area in the Yorke and Mid North region of South Australia. The council seat is at Balaklava. Geography The Wakefield Regional Council includes the towns and localities of Avon, Balaklava, Barunga Gap, Beaufort, Blyth, Bowillia, Bowmans, Brinkworth, Bumbunga, Burnsfield, Condowie, Dalkey, Erith, Everard Central, Goyder, Hart, Hope Gap, Hoskin Corner, Inkerman, Kallora, Kybunga, Lake View, Lochiel, Marola, Mount Templeton, Nantawarra, Owen, Pinery, Port Wakefield, Proof Range, Rochester, Saints, Snowtown, Stockyard Creek, Stow, Watchman and Whitwarta, and parts of Alma, Barabba, Bute, Grace Plains, Halbury, Hamley Bridge, Hoyleton, Long Plains, Mundoora, Salter Springs, South Hummocks, Wild Horse Plains, and Wokurna. On the west side of the Wakefield Regional Council's area is the coastal fringe along the north east of Gulf St Vincent and the Hummocks and Barunga ranges. The area spans wide fertile plains to the north Mount Lofty Ranges on its eastern border. Immediately to the east of the Hummocks and Barunga ranges are a series are low-lying salt lakes, of which Lake Bumbunga is the largest. The Wakefield River, from which the council name derives, flows from east to west across the council region approximately a third of the way from south to north border. A portion of the River Light and its confluence with the Gilbert River forms the south eastern border of the council area. History The Wakefield Regional Council came into being on 1 July 1997, as a result of the amalgamation of the former District Council of Blyth-Snowtown and the District Council of Wakefield Plains. The amalgamation occurred when much of the boundary reform of the local government was coming from the State Government as a result of various provisions contained in the "Local Government Act 1934". As a result, the number of local councils in South Australia was reduced from 118 to 68 by the deadline of 30 June 1999. The area falling under Wakefield Regional Council has been much affected by local government boundary changes that have taken place since the early 1980s. Prior to 1983, five district councils had served the area currently covered by the council since the previous major consolidation of local government bodies in 1935. The district councils in the area prior to 1983 were the District Council of Balaklava, the District Council of Blyth, the District Council of Owen, the District Council of Port Wakefield and the District Council of Snowtown.