Established in 2008, it was preceded by two previous local government areas which dated back to the 1870s.

It has an estimated operating budget of A$27.5 m. In the 2021 census, the Charters Towers Region had a population of 11,794 people.

[1] Gugu Badhun (also known as Koko-Badun and Kokopatun) is an Australian Aboriginal language of North Queensland.

In July 2007, the Local Government Reform Commission released its report and recommended that the two areas amalgamate.

Amongst its reasons given for this recommendation were improved service delivery and capacity through a larger asset base and increased operating revenue, and the fact that a significant (and growing) proportion of the Shire's population lived in Charters Towers's outer suburbs and bringing all of Charters Towers under one local government was viewed as desirable.