 It was gazetted on 2 June 1853, on the same day as Onkaparinga and Hindmarsh.Local government had only been introduced in South Australia in 1852, and only the City of Adelaide (1852) and District Council of Mitcham (12 May 1853) had been created earlier.At the time of establishment the East Torrens council covered including almost half of the Hundred of Adelaide and a large western portion of the Hundred of Onkaparinga.