[1] Founded as a township in the 1850s, Box Hill has grown over the following century into a small city with its own central business district (CBD).

Today, Box Hill is notable for its large Chinese community, being one of the largest in Melbourne, and is home to the city's tallest high-rise buildings outside the CBD.

The first permanent settlers, Thomas Toogood and his wife Edith, purchased 5,000 acres (20 km2) in 1841 and Wrighte built a house on his property, "Marionvale", in 1844.

The Pioneers' Memorial, which can be found in front of the town hall, is made from a chimney stone, taken from Wrighte's original house.

The postmaster, Silas Padgham proposed the name, derived from Box Hill, Surrey, England, near his birthplace.

[8] In the mid-1880s, Box Hill became a favoured area for landscape artists who wanted to paint the Australian bush en plein air.

[10] Unlike suburbs closer to Melbourne, Box Hill lacked the web of tramlines, which promoted residential development beyond the reach of the railway line.

In 1916–17, tramlines reached the western edge of what in a short time would be the Box Hill Municipality, at Burwood, Mont Albert and Wattle Park.

[11] The Box Hill Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church building was originally the West Melbourne Presbyterian Church built 1867 on the corner of Lonsdale and William Streets; a final service was held on 3 February 1935, following which the building was dismantled and re-erected on its present site, being opened in late 1935.

In addition to the shopping centre, the Box Hill TAFE and several office buildings have strengthened its centrality in the region.

Its proximity to trams was better than Box Hill North's and its residential growth was substantially pre- and early post-war.

Taller residential and commercial buildings are clustered around this area which is surrounded on three sides by major roads.

Through 2015 to the present, new taller residential buildings have been constructed on the north side of Whitehorse Road adjacent to Box Hill Gardens, including state and Commonwealth government offices.

At the 2021 Australian census, 68.3% of Box Hill residents reported being born overseas, with the most common being China (excludes Taiwan and the SARs; 29.5%), Malaysia (6.4%), India (4.5%), Hong Kong (2.5%), and Vietnam (1.9%).

Self-described non-religious people made up the largest single group at 50.4% of the population, followed by Catholic (10.2%), Buddhism (9.0%), and Hinduism (4.5%).

[34][35] Previously, in the 2016 Australian census, 64.7% of Box Hill residents reported being born in foreign countries, the most common being China (excluding Taiwan and the SARs; 27.6%), Malaysia (4.8%), India (4.2%), Hong Kong (3.0%) and South Korea (1.7%).

Self-described non-religious people made up the largest single group at 46.3% of the population, followed by Catholics (13.5%), Buddhists (7.8%) and Anglicans (4.5%).

Box Hill is a major public transport hub for the City of Whitehorse and surrounding suburbs.

The complex also includes a large bus interchange, linking commuters to a broad range of destinations across most Melbourne suburbs.

Box Hill Athletic Club, founded in 1932, survived through the war years and became notably prominent after the 1956 Olympic Games,[40] held in Melbourne.

The club's original training ground was at Surrey Park, Elgar Road South, an area provided by the Box Hill Council.

The surrounding parklands include (aside from a large lake, now filled with water, but once used as a quarry) a baseball diamond, a football oval and cricket pitches.

Box Hill Rugby Club play at RHL Sparks Reserve in the Dewar Shield competition.