[3][4][5] The council is divided into five wards: Nangkita Kuitpo, Angas Bremer, Port Elliot Middleton, Strathalbyn and Goolwa Hindmarsh Island.

[1] The district relies on a diverse range of industries including agriculture, fishing, forestry, viticulture and tourism to supply its economy.

[8] The district borders two bodies of water,[2] Encounter Bay and Lake Alexandrina, which are commercially exploited for a variety of fish and crustaceans.

The coast produce shark, mulloway and Australian salmon, as well as huge numbers of Goolwa cockles which are exported all over South Australia.

[9] The area also has a significant tourism industry, particularly based around the Murray River at Goolwa and the beaches of Port Elliot and Middleton.