The original European settlers in the mid-19th century used the area for farming, but coal was discovered south of what would become Outtrim railway station in 1892.

[4] When the coal mines were at their peak more than 200 children attended the four-roomed school.

The school was relocated to a different site in 1976, with the remaining original buildings demolished at that time.

By the 1980s, the township of Outtrim had virtually disappeared, with only a few buildings remaining in the town area and the land returned to farming.

The land around Outtrim is largely cleared of native vegetation and is used for agriculture, including dairying.