The town sits at the southern end of the large and diverse Shire of Mitchell which extends from the northern fringes of Melbourne into the farming country of north-central Victoria and the lower Goulburn Valley.

The first church erected in Wallan was a wooden building that cost 71 pounds and was opened by the Methodist residents in 1865.

In 2009, Wallan was used as a relief centre for those from surrounding towns affected by the Black Saturday fires.

Mitchell Shire also operates a town to station connecting bus service for peak hour commuters.

It also has a small water park (running mainly in the warmer months) located in the town centre at Hadfield park, this is a large adventure playground with a small splash area and ample picnic spaces including sheltered seating with bbq facilities.