The village was named by the surveyor and explorer, John Oxley, after Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough (1750–1818), Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.

[2] The area has a diverse range of birds including bowerbirds, king parrots, kingfishers, honeyeaters and wedge-tailed eagles.

[4] Heritage items of significance in the village include: Ellenborough Cemetery and the police station along with the large trees growing there.

A camping reserve is situated in the north eastern corner of the village, near the Hastings River.

The Long Flat village which is about 4 km east of Ellenborough has a public school, hotel, recreation ground and general store.