 Part of the Wet Tropics of Queensland and Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Sites are located in Cardwell Shire.The Hinchinbrook Division was created on 11 November 1879 as one of 74 divisions around Queensland under the "Divisional Boards Act 1879".On 18 January 1884, part of the Hinchinbrook Division was separated to create the new Cardwell Division.