South Gippsland Shire is located in south-eastern Victoria, about 100 kilometres south-east of the Melbourne CBD. South Gippsland Shire is bounded by Cardinia and Baw Baw Shires in the north, Latrobe City and Wellington Shire in the east, Bass Strait in the south, and Bass Coast Shire in the west.

Its major towns are Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North and Foster, and other significant townships include Dumbalk, Fish Creek, Loch, Meeniyan, Nyora, Poowong, Port Welshpool, Sandy Point, Tarwin Lower, Toora, Venus Bay and Welshpool and many other small communities. South Gippsland Shire was formed in 1994 from the amalgamation of four municipalities. It has an area of 3,300 square kilometres with substantial coastal frontage.