It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay.

It covers the suburbs of Mordialloc, Keysborough (part), Waterways, Cheltenham (part), Dingley Village, Chelsea, Aspendale, Aspendale Gardens, Edithvale, Bonbeach, Patterson Lakes, Carrum, Parkdale, Mentone, Dandenong South, Highett, Heatherton and Moorabbin.

It was proclaimed at the redistribution of 21 November 1968, and first contested at the 1969 federal election.

Originally a marginal seat, it switched regularly between the Liberals and Labor.

However, Labor has held it without interruption since 1996, and it is now considered fairly safe for that party.