[3] The name, Dangelong, is probably derived from an Aboriginal word, as rendered by colonial settlers, that was applied to an early squatting run in the area.

John Mackenzie established 'Dangelong' station, a vast squatting run of 44 square miles (11,396 hectares), when he occupied land taken from Ngarigo people, as a squatter.

[8] In 1848, as a result of Mackenzie's insolvency and subsequent bankruptcy, the 'Dangelong' run leasehold, by then of 15,000 acres, passed to another early landholder, William Bradley.

[10] During the 1870s, the squatter run was opened to selection, resulting in its subdivision into smaller properties,[11] although the 'Dandelong' station still existed and retained some of the land.

[14] There was some small scale mining of reef gold, just outside the eastern boundary of the modern-day locality, during the late 19th century.