The division is located south-east of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula.

It covers an area of approximately 152 square kilometres (59 sq mi) from Seaford in the north to Mount Eliza in the south and Langwarrin South in the southeast.

Following the 2024 Dunkley by-election, Jodie Belyea currently represents the seat.

[1] As a result of a periodical boundary redistribution, from the 2025 Australian federal election, Dunkley’s boundaries will move north to include the suburbs of Carrum, Bonbeach, Patterson Lakes, Chelsea (part) and Chelsea Heights (part), while losing the southern part of Mount Eliza to neighbouring Flinders.

[2] The division was created in 1984 and is named for Louisa Margaret Dunkley, a trade unionist and campaigner for equal pay for women.