It is located on the Maroondah Highway, 87 kilometres (54 mi) north east of the state capital, Melbourne.

The telegraph service was connected to Narbethong in 1891,[2]: 11  with the wires being strung along fences and attached to trees.

In 1939 the post office building, which was then part of a store and petrol station, was completely destroyed in the Black Friday bushfires.

[9] In 2011, a new public hall was built using local timbers, with the whole building being wrapped in a bronze mesh fire resistant screen.

It featured the characters played by Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner spending their first night together.