It was proclaimed on 16 July 1885 as theDistrict Council of Ninnes, and initially only included theHundred of Ninnes. It held its first meeting in the home of a councillor, but subsequently adapted a former accommodation house for travellers atNinnes as a council chamber.[1][2] It was expanded significantly by theDistrict Councils Act 1887, which added the Hundreds ofWiltunga andTickera, and with them, the towns ofAlford,Bute andTickera.[3] It was subsequently divided into three wards, one for each cadastral hundred.[4]
The Ninnes council chamber became increasingly dilapidated with time, and it was later decided to build a new district office and hall at Bute, reflecting the rapid growth of that town.[1] It underwent a further boundary change on 12 May 1932, when it gained most of the abolishedDistrict Council of Kulpara, except a portion of itsPaskeville Ward, while losing portions of Tickera Ward to both theDistrict Council of Kadina and theDistrict Council of Port Broughton.[5][6][7] It was renamed the District Council of Bute on 5 January 1933.[2] It subsequently switched to a five-ward system (Bute, Kulpara, Ninnes, Tickera and Wiltunga).[8]
In 1936, it covered an area of 387 square miles, with a population of 1,920. In that year, it was described as a "prosperous mixed farming district" that "with an assured rainfall, having never had a crop failure". The main industries were reported to be wheat and barley growing. It was also noted for its steadfast protection of its timber reserves, especially alongside roads, in comparison to other councils.[9] It ceased to exist in 1997 when it merged with the District Council of Port Broughton to form theDistrict Council of Barunga West.[10]
The following adjacent local government bodies co-existed with the Ninnes/Bute council:
District Council of Broughton (later called District Council of Redhill) lay north from its establishment in 1888. In 1892 it was split in two and the newDistrict Council of Mundoora (later called District Council of Port Broughton) became the second northern neighbour to Ninnes council.
District Council of Snowtown lay north east and east from 1890, when it annexed the Hundred of Cameron from Port Wakefield council and Ninnes council's own boundaries expanded north to encompass the Hundred of Wiltunga.
District Council of Kulpara (established 1878) lay south east and south until it was mostly absorbed by Ninnes council in 1932, making the District Council of Port Wakefield the south eastern neighbour. In 1983 Port Wakefield council was amalgamated with two other councils to its east, making the newDistrict Council of Wakefield Plains the south eastern neighbour to Bute council.
District Council of Clinton (established 1878) lay south and south west from 1932, when most of Kulpara council was absorbed by Ninnes council.
District Council of Green's Plains (established 1871) lay south west until 1888, when it was abolished and incorporated into the new Kadina council.
^"DISTRICT COUNCIL OF NINNES".Observer. Vol. LXXI, no. 5, 511. South Australia. 17 October 1914. p. 22. Retrieved29 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
^"NINNES DISTRICT COUNCIL".Wallaroo Times. Vol. XXII, no. 2390. South Australia. 20 October 1886. p. 2. Retrieved29 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
