It is located in the far north-west of the state, adjoining the border with South Australia in the west, and the Murray River (which forms the border with New South Wales) in the north.

At 81,962 square kilometres (31,646 sq mi), it is the largest Division in Victoria.

It includes the centres of Mildura, Ouyen, Swan Hill, St Arnaud, Warracknabeal, Stawell, Horsham and Maryborough.

Since 1984, federal electoral division boundaries in Australia have been determined at redistributions by a redistribution committee appointed by the Australian Electoral Commission.

It was previously the safest Coalition seat in federal parliament and also previously the safest seat in the entire parliament in the 2010 election, with a 24-point swing required for Labor to have won it.