Mareeba Shire has an estimated population of 22,000 dispersed across 53,457 km2 of land. Mareeba with a district population of over 10,000 is the main commerical and administrative centre and lies 64 km south west of Cairns. Most of the Shire's remaining population reside in and around smaller towns and districts, including Kuranda, Koah, Speewah, Biboohra, Mt Molloy, Julatten, Mt Carbine, Mutchilba, Dimbulah, Irvinebank, Watsonville, Almaden and Chillagoe.