It was based at Latrobe on Tasmania's north coast near the town of Devonport.
The seat was created in a redistribution ahead of the 1897 election out of the former seat of East Devon, and was abolished when the Tasmanian parliament adopted the Hare-Clark electoral model in 1909.
The circumstances of its first by-election were initiated when the member for neighbouring Devonport, John Henry, resigned.
At the resulting by-election on 21 June 1898, Ministerial candidate William Aikenhead was elected.
On 25 April 1902, Murray resumed the seat after Aikenhead's death.