It is located on the west coast of Western Australia, about 75 km (47 mi) south of the state capital, Perth.

[2] Before European settlement, the Peel region was inhabited by Indigenous Australians, specifically the Pindjarup dialect group of the Noongar people.

The surviving settlers abandoned the area, with some moving inland where they found fertile soil.

In recent times, the timber industry has declined, but the establishment of alumina refineries at Pinjarra and Wagerup, and gold mines at Boddington, have helped the local economy.

The region is named after Thomas Peel, a British settler in Australia who was involved in the Pinjarra massacre of Aboriginal Binjareb people.