It is the largest township on, and is the administrative centre of, King Island, at the western entrance to Bass Strait.

[3] Increasing knowledge of the surrounding landscape led to permanent agricultural settlement very soon afterwards, mostly grazing beef and dairy cattle.

[4] The waters of the Southern Ocean form the western and south-western boundaries.

[5] The town is situated just inland from a partly sheltered natural harbour on the west coast of the island.

Winter frosts are extremely rare owing to the strong maritime influence (rarer than at Urandangi, over 18 degrees closer to the equator), whilst only three days per year will exceed 30 °C (86 °F).