District Council of Franklin Harbour: History
Franklin Harbour itself was first sighted by Matthew Flinders in 1802 and subsequently named after his midshipman and nephew, John Franklin, by Governor George Gawler in 1840. The first settlers to the region arrived in 1853, with more following soon afterward.
The District Council was proclaimed in 1888. In 2014, the Hundreds of Mangalo and Heggaton were transferred from the Franklin Harbour council to the District Council of Cleve.