Northern Areas Council is a local government area in the Yorke and Mid North region of South Australia.

[3] Most of the region was first settled in the early 1840s, only a few years after the settlement of Adelaide.

Several explorers had passed through the area on their way to more remote places, including Edward John Eyre and John Horrocks.

Rocky River and Jamestown had themselves previously been subject to a number of amalgamations, and had a large number of predecessor municipalities; in contrast, the Spalding council had a much different history, as prior to the merger, it had been an independent municipality predating the landmark District Councils Act 1887.

[4][5][6] The district encompasses a number of towns and localities, including Andrews, Beetaloo Valley, Belalie East, Belalie North, Broughton River Valley, Bundaleer Gardens, Bundaleer North, Caltowie, Caltowie North, Caltowie West, Euromina, Georgetown, Gladstone, Gulnare, Hacklins Corner, Hornsdale, Jamestown, Laura, Mannanarie, Mayfield, Narridy, Spalding, Washpool, West Bundaleer and Yacka, and part of Appila, Canowie Belt, Huddleston, Stone Hut, Tarcowie and Yatina.