The area was traditional lands of the Ngunnawal people, but was also traversed by other tribes going to the coast or the Monaro during the Bogong moth season.
The town of Tarago was originally known as Sherwin's Flats, the town took the name "Tarago", possibly an Aboriginal word meaning "country",[REF] from the town presently known as Lake Bathurst, which is located 7 km north of Tarago [REF].