Most of the land is taken up by pastoral leases or protected areas (including the Karijini National Park).

Other than agriculture, industries important to Ashburton include mining, oil, natural gas, fishing, and tourism.

[2] It originally had nine members divided into six wards, but by 1977 had one councillor for each of the five towns in the shire (Onslow, Pannawonica, Paraburdoo, Tom Price, Wittenoom) and four members for the rural areas of the shire.

[citation needed] It was decided to move the administration office from Onslow to the more centrally located town of Tom Price in January 1990, when the Shire's administration office was officially opened in Poinciana Street.

The towns and localities of the Shire of Ashburton with population and size figures based on the most recent Australian census:[3][4] As of 2023, 84 places are heritage-listed in the Shire of Ashburton,[26] of which six are on the State Register of Heritage Places, among them Nanutarra Station and Peedamulla Homestead.