 The shire, administered from the town of Tully, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1884 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Johnstone to form the Cassowary Coast Region.The shire also had responsibility for some Great Barrier Reef islands, including Dunk Island, Goold Island and Hinchinbrook Island.The area's economy is based on agriculture, in particular sugar and bananas, and tourism.