The County of Victoria is one of South Australia’s 49 cadastral counties. It was proclaimed on 1 October 1857 by Governor Richard MacDonnell, probably named for Queen Victoria. The county covers 3,710 square kilometres of the Spencer Gulf coast and hinterland in the state’s Mid North, from Port Pirie in the north-west to near Mount Bryan in the south-east.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | South Australia |
| Region | Mid North / Spencer Gulf |
| Proclaimed | 1 October 1857 |
| Named after | Queen Victoria (probable) |
| Area | 3,710 km² |
| Principal towns | Port Pirie, Gladstone |
| Local government areas today | Port Pirie Regional Council; Northern Areas Council; Regional Council of Goyder |
Hundreds in Victoria County
The county is divided into 14 hundreds, gazetted between 1863 and 1891.
- Hundred of Anne
- Hundred of Belalie
- Hundred of Booyoolie
- Hundred of Bundaleer
- Hundred of Caltowie
- Hundred of Crystal Brook
- Hundred of Howe
- Hundred of Napperby
- Hundred of Narridy
- Hundred of Pirie
- Hundred of Reynolds
- Hundred of Wandearah
- Hundred of Whyte
- Hundred of Yangya
Towns and Localities Today
Port Pirie, in the Hundred of Pirie, is the county’s largest town and a long-established smelting and port city on Spencer Gulf. Gladstone, further south-east, serves the surrounding grain and sheep farms. Crystal Brook and Caltowie, both namesakes of their hundreds, are smaller farming towns along the county’s rail line.
Geography
The county covers the Spencer Gulf coast and hinterland in the Mid North, running from Port Pirie in the north-west to near Mount Bryan in the south-east, and includes most of the Broughton River watershed.
History
Governor MacDonnell proclaimed the county in 1857 as settlement extended along Spencer Gulf and inland from the new port at Port Pirie. Its hundreds were surveyed over more than three decades from 1863 as wheat farming spread through the Broughton River district.
FAQ
Where is Victoria County?
It covers the Spencer Gulf coast and Mid North hinterland from Port Pirie to near Mount Bryan.
What towns are in Victoria County?
Port Pirie is the main town, with Gladstone, Crystal Brook and Caltowie as smaller centres.
Is Victoria County still used?
Cadastral counties like Victoria remain in land titles and property descriptions but have no government function today.