The place name, Nerrigundah, is derived from an aboriginal word for 'camp where edible berries grow'.

[4] Nerrigundah and its valley were used as a cattle run by Thomas Mort of Bodalla prior to the discovery of gold on 23 December 1860 by George Cook, Joseph Goodenough and William Crouch.

[5] On 8 April 1866, Nerrigundah was raided by bushrangers, the Clarke brothers, Thomas and John, and their associates.

They held up a number of passers-by outside the town at Deep Creek and then attacked the store and hotel.

[9] Following its heyday during gold mining, Nerrigundah survived as a small village sustained by local production of timber, wattle bark (for tanning) and eucalyptus oil.