The District Council of Minlaton was officially proclaimed on 5 January 1888 by the District Councils Act 1887 as constituting the Hundreds of Curramulka, Koolywurtie and Minlacowie, and the unincorporated portion of the Hundred of Ramsay.

[1] This cluster of adjacent hundreds spanned the entire width of the peninsula at Minlaton for about 29 kilometres (18 mi) north to south.

The first council meeting was held on 13 February 1888 and John C Tonkin was elected chairman.

Prior to 1920 council meetings were held in the Minlaton Institute or in other rented rooms.

[2] The following adjacent local government bodies co-existed with the Minlaton council: