In the early 1800s Taroona was the territory of the Mouhenneener, one of four bands of the South East Tribe of Aboriginal Tasmanians. They camped on headlands and in sheltered coves, close to animal and plant food sources. Their coastal diet included crayfish and shellfish (mainly oysters, mussels and abalone), seaweed, water rats and sea birds. On land, women gathered plant material for food, medicine and other uses, and the men hunted for larger marsupials. Shell middens are still present in sections along the Taroona foreshore and these sites are highly significant to the Aboriginal community. 

The arrival of Europeans in the early 1800s tore apart the Mouhenneener culture. Their lands were divided into parcels and awarded to European settlers. Much of the bushland was cleared for farming wheat, potatoes and pasture for sheep.

Today, Taroona is a leafy suburb of around 1200 households. Residents enjoy the bushland skyline, coastal views, beaches and rocky foreshore, the cultural icon of the Shot Tower, and a glorious walk along the foreshore.