Barcaldine Regional Council was formed in 2008 by the amalgamation of Aramac, Barcaldine and Jericho Shires. Aramac Shire was in the north of the regional council's area, Barcaldine in the south and Jericho was east of both. Their areas and populations were:

Barcaldine is the regional council's headquarters, and is 520 km west of Rockhampton. The regional council's eastern boundary adjoins the Anakie gemfields and its western boundary is 70 km from Longreach. A north-westerly projection reaches nearly to Winton.

Barcaldine and Alpha, headquarters of the former Barcaldine and Jericho Shires, are on the Capricorn Highway and the Central Railway from Rockhampton. The railway was constructed in stages between 1883 and 1891 from Alpha to beyond Barcaldine, following pastoral expansion. A branch line from Jericho to Blackall was opened in 1908, and a locally-financed tramway ran from Barcaldine to Aramac (1913-75).

Centrally located Barcaldine has been and is the main town. Its population in 2006 was 83% of the shire's population. Whereas employment in sheep, beef and grain farming in Aramac and Jericho Shires was 47.6%, and 49% of total employment respectively, in Barcaldine Shire the proportion was 13.1%. Employment in construction and retail/wholesale distribution in Barcaldine Shire were each slightly more, and employment in health and community services was about 9% of total employment.

Barcaldine Regional Council's census population in 2006 was 3264.