[1] The division was created in 1984 and is named after Bert Hinkler, the great pioneer Australian aviator.

The seat is located in coastal Queensland, including the towns of Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Childers, Gayndah and Monto.

However, after a redistribution in 2006, the Gladstone area, a Labor bastion, was transferred to the Division of Flynn.

While National incumbent Paul Neville was nearly swept out in 2007 due in part to Queensland swinging heavily to Labor under Kevin Rudd, he survived in part due to Labor-leaning Gladstone being replaced with conservative-leaning Hervey Bay.

He was reelected with a large enough swing in 2010 to turn Hinkler into a safe seat for the merged Liberal National Party.