Joseph Hawdon established a pastoral run on Narra Narrawong in 1837, bringing cattle from Sydney by land.
Soon a few timber cutters and a police camp were also located there.
Dandenong Post Office opened on 1 July 1848.

By 1850, the whole area had been taken up for grazing.
Dandenong Creek was first bridged in 1840.
A road was made from Melbourne, making Dandenong, by the late 1850s, an important staging post for travellers into Gippsland.
It became known as the 'gateway to Gippsland'.
A township was surveyed in 1852.
Milling of the red gum timber became an important industry, and charcoal burning, tanning, quarrying and brick making also flourished.
A livestock market was established in 1866.

The Western Port Aboriginal Protectorate Station was located north-east of Dandenong from 1840 to 1844.
This area had been an important meeting and ceremonial site for Aboriginal tribes.
The Native Police Corps established its headquarters there until its disbandment in 1852.
The Police Paddocks were then used for breeding and resting police horses.

By 1861, there were 40 houses in the township housing 193 people.
In 1866, Dandenong Market commenced trading, selling  livestock, fruit, dairy products and other farm produce.
Dandenong Shire was proclaimed in 1873.
The Australian Handbook records the progress of the town by 1875.

The Dandenong Town Hall, Lonsdale Street, was built in Free Classical style in 1890 as the combined Shire Hall, Courthouse and Mechanics Institute, at a cost of about 12,000 pounds.
The architects were Beswicke and Hutchins and the contractor McCullogh and McAlpine.
The two-storey, stucco rendered brick building, on a bluestone base course, features a lofty, Mansard-roofed, corner clock tower and projecting end wings with serlian motif windows and capped by pedimented niches.
Joseph Hawdon established a pastoral run on Narra Narrawong in 1837, bringing cattle from Sydney by land. Soon a few timber cutters and a police camp were also located there. Dandenong Post Office opened on 1 July 1848.
By 1850, the whole area had been taken up for grazing. Dandenong Creek was first bridged in 1840. A road was made from Melbourne, making Dandenong, by the late 1850s, an important staging post for travellers into Gippsland. It became known as the 'gateway to Gippsland'. A township was surveyed in 1852. Milling of the red gum timber became an important industry, and charcoal burning, tanning, quarrying and brick making also flourished. A livestock market was established in 1866.
The Western Port Aboriginal Protectorate Station was located north-east of Dandenong from 1840 to 1844. This area had been an important meeting and ceremonial site for Aboriginal tribes. The Native Police Corps established its headquarters there until its disbandment in 1852. The Police Paddocks were then used for breeding and resting police horses.
By 1861, there were 40 houses in the township housing 193 people. In 1866, Dandenong Market commenced trading, selling  livestock, fruit, dairy products and other farm produce. Dandenong Shire was proclaimed in 1873. The Australian Handbook records the progress of the town by 1875.
The Dandenong Town Hall, Lonsdale Street, was built in Free Classical style in 1890 as the combined Shire Hall, Courthouse and Mechanics Institute, at a cost of about 12,000 pounds. The architects were Beswicke and Hutchins and the contractor McCullogh and McAlpine. The two-storey, stucco rendered brick building, on a bluestone base course, features a lofty, Mansard-roofed, corner clock tower and projecting end wings with serlian motif windows and capped by pedimented niches.
Dandenong, Victoria