Dungog, near the Williams River 228 kilometres north of Sydney, is believed to take its name from the indigenous Aboriginal term possibly translating to 'place of thinly wooded hills'.

The first property grant was made in 1824. James D. Dowling, after whom the town's main street is named, was granted land to the north in 1828.

Church of England, Dungog (courtesy Dungog Shire Council)

The 'Upper Williams' township was planned in 1830 but took its current name from 1834. Around this time bushrangers such as Captain Thunderbolt, Joe Burn (of Ben Hall's gang), the Governors and the Jew Boy Gang were all operating in the region. Barracks were constructed between 1835 and 1838 to house troopers who were stationed in the area to combat the bushranging. The barracks were converted to a courthouse in 1849 and the original brick section is still used as the courtroom in the current complex.

Other buildings of interest dating from the 1800s include the Courthouse Hotel (1868) which features cast-iron lacework on its eaves and balconies, and the former CBC (now National Australia) Bank, a double-storey building with cedar doors and fittings which was built in 1874. The Anglican Christ Church was built between 1849 and 1858 and is now one of Dungog's oldest remaining buildings.

In fact, the town's entire main street has been declared an urban conservation area and contains many late 1800s and early 1900s shops and other buildings.

Dungog Museum (courtesy Dungog Shire Council)

In 1838 the town plan was validated. The town was well developed by the 1850s. Timber cutting was an early industry and remained the mainstay of the region's economy through to the 1860s when a flour mill, tannery and tobacco factory were also established.

A rail connection was made in 1911.