It was originally named St. Paul's Plains by John Helder Wedge during a 1833 survey of the area.

[2] The area was officially settled in 1834 as a farming, coal and tin mining village.

[3] In the 19th century, the town had a small Anglican church (St. Thomas', designed by James Blackburn), a school, and a police station.

St. Paul's Plains Post Office opened on 1 June 1832 and was renamed Avoca in 1837.

[4] Today, mines in the area have closed and Avoca serves only as a farming community.