Like much of the City of Manningham, Doncaster East was predominantly covered in fruit orchards for some time before subdivision began and it became a continuous part of Melbourne.

Housing estates began to replace orchards in the 1960s, generally along Doncaster Road, in the southern half of the suburb. The north half of the suburb was developed through the 1970s and 1980s, with the last orchard being removed in the 1990s.

As the young parents who moved into these estates now retire and move away, many houses from the ’60s and ’70s are being converted into units. Today land prices continue to rise and it is not uncommon to see medium density residential apartments/units under construction somewhere at any time of the year.