Albert County is one of South Australia’s 49 cadastral counties, on the east bank of the River Murray. Governor Richard MacDonnell proclaimed it on 19 April 1860, naming it after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s consort.
Key Facts
| State | South Australia |
|---|---|
| Region | Riverland and Murray Mallee |
| Proclaimed | 19 April 1860 |
| Named after | Albert, Prince Consort of Queen Victoria |
| Area | 2,194 km² |
| Principal towns | Waikerie |
| Local government areas today | District Council of Loxton Waikerie, Mid Murray Council, District Council of Karoonda East Murray |
Hundreds in Albert County
The county has 13 hundreds, running from the Murray riverfront east into the Mallee.
- Hundred of Bakara
- Hundred of Bandon
- Hundred of Cadell
- Hundred of Chesson
- Hundred of Forster
- Hundred of Holder
- Hundred of Mantung
- Hundred of Mindarie
- Hundred of Moorook
- Hundred of Murbko
- Hundred of Nildottie
- Hundred of Paisley
- Hundred of Waikerie
Towns and Localities Today
Waikerie, on the Murray River in the Hundred of Holder, is the county’s main town and the service centre for its irrigation and citrus industries. Smaller river settlements sit along the Murray frontage in the hundreds of Cadell, Murbko, Paisley, Nildottie, and Forster, with dryland grain and sheep farming across the eastern Mallee hundreds of Bakara, Mantung, Bandon, Chesson, and Mindarie.
Geography
Albert County covers 2,194 square kilometres along the east bank of the River Murray, running from riverfront hundreds such as Cadell and Murbko east into Mallee country. Its southern hundreds border the neighbouring Alfred and Hamley counties on the opposite bank of the Murray.
History
The county was proclaimed alongside five western riverside hundreds and absorbed the earlier Hundred of the Murray. Local government in the area went through several rounds of amalgamation between 1888 and 1997, ending in today’s three-council split between Loxton Waikerie, Mid Murray, and Karoonda East Murray.
FAQ
What does Albert County cover?
It covers the east bank of the River Murray around Waikerie, running east into the Murray Mallee, across 13 hundreds.
Is Albert County still used?
Cadastral counties like Albert remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.
What local government areas cover Albert County today?
The District Council of Loxton Waikerie, Mid Murray Council, and District Council of Karoonda East Murray.