It has an area of 4,034 square kilometres and was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of the former Buln Buln and Narracan Shires, the Rural City of Warragul (previously the Shire of Warragul), and some parts of the Shire of Upper Yarra.
The northern half of the shire is heavily forested and lies in the Great Dividing Range and its foothills, including the Mt Baw Baw National Park, while the shire is bounded by the Strzelecki Range and its foothills to the south. The 'middle' part of the shire is more densely populated, particularly in areas close to the Princes Highway and the Gippsland railway line, but still retains its rural environment.