In 1824, 11 years after the first exploration led by Blaxland over the Blue Mountains, a Ethan Bell was granted a large portion of land in the area now known as Wallerawang.

Darwin describes the countryside around the Wallerawang area and the wildlife including Platypus in his book "The Voyage of the Beagle".

Although Mitchell won a government contract to supply iron and steel, he died before he could bring his plans to fruition.

[5][6][7] In 1950-1951, extensive plans were made by the Joint Coal Board for a modern planned township at Wallerawang, which would have been the terminus of electrification of the railway from Sydney, location of a new railway workshop and power station, and the transport hub for a major expansion of coal mining in the area.

Apart from the Wallerawang Power Station and its associated mines, little came of these plans due to sustained opposition from political interests associated with nearby Lithgow.

[21] During World War II, Wallerawang was the location of RAAF No.4 Inland Aircraft Fuel Depot (IAFD), completed in 1942 and closed in 1944.