The name of Narellan originates from William Hovell who who pronounced the area “Narelling” in 1816 after receiving a land grant from Governor Macquarie.

The township of Narellan was surveyed in the 1820s and by 1832 an inn and several liquor shops were operating on the village's fringes. A church and school was established in 1839.

Despite land allotments offered for sale in the 1840s, settlement in Narellan was scarce due to the popularity of nearby Camden

The opening of the Camden to Campbelltown railway in 1882 greatly increased Narellan's connectivity to Sydney. The locomotive was affectionally nicknamed the "Pansy" and was a regular part of daily life for those who lived near the line. Narellan was one of 9 stops on the 13 kilometre line which carried a mixture of passengers and freight until its closure in 1963.

Intersection of Sharman Close (with railway close) and Narellan Road looking east towards Campbelltown. The Camden to Campbelltown Railway followed the alignment of Narellan Road and Camden Valley Way.

Today this is the location of the Camden Valley Way, The Northern Road and Narellan Road intersection.

The Narellan Military Camp (located in Studley Park) was used to for officer and para troop training during World War Two. Since 1950 the site has been occupied by the Camden Golf Course.

Until well into the mid twentieth century Narellan remained a relatively small township with some industry.

To the top left of the photo is Narellan Road (Camden Valley Way) and the Narellan Railway Station. Adjacent the station was a coal loader, a timber mill, stockyards, and milk loading facility .

Queen St is in the foreground, the brickworks is in the centre and Somorset Ave at the back.

Today the vacant Elyard development site (adjacent the Narellan Urban Forrest) is located on the former brickworks site.

In 1941 coal handling facilities were relocated from Camden to opposite the Narellan station. These facilities handled coal brought from the local mines, and by the 1970s Narellan had become the centre of the local coal industry. It contained administration facilities, workshops and an associated housing development. Coal handling was eventually transferred to Glenlee.

Narellan Road (today Camden Valley Way) was still carrying horse carriages in the 1960s despite being part of the Hume Highway.

Looking west towards Camden, the photo is taken from where the (southern) NTC shopping centre now stands. The Narellan Railway Station and coal loader can be seen on the right.

The Narellan Train Station was located where the NTC shopping centre now stands (north of Camden Valley Way). Narellan was a stop on the Camden to Campbelltown Railway which closed in 1964.

The Camden Bypass was completed in 1974 and transformed road access in the region. Suburban development of Narellan greatly increased in the 1970s, as shown in the right of the photo.

The first stage of the NTC Shopping Centre opened in the mid 1990s. This heralded Narellan's growth as a significant retail and commercial centre.

The opening of the new Narellan Library and Narellan Urban Forest playground in the mid 2000s increased Narellan's important public spaces. The expansion of the NTC shopping centre in recent years has further strengthened Narellan's place as an important retial centre.