The shire, administered from the town of Innisfail, covered an area of , and existed as a local government entity from 1881 until 2008, when it amalgamated with the Shire of Cardwell to form the Cassowary Coast Region.
The shire, governed from Innisfail, spanned an area of , and functioned as a local government entity from 1881 until 2008, when it merged with the Shire of Cardwell to create the Cassowary Coast Region.