Dover Heights is located 9 kilometers east of the Sydney central business district and is in the local government area of Waverly Council and is part of the eastern suburbs region.
It is believed that Dover Heights was named for its cliffs along the Pacific Ocean which resembled those in Dover, Kent in the United Kingdom. The area was first used for market gardens and the first mention of Dover Heights appears in the municipal records of 1886.
Daniel Cooper (1785-1853) owned land in the area in 1830 he was a partner in the firm who owned the Waterloo Stores Copper and Levey their retail store was located on the corner of Market and George streets in the city. The site was later occupied till 2006 by the Gowing Brothers. In 1913 the Dover Heights area was subdivided.
Dover Heights is a mostly residential suburb with many of the homes having views of the Sydney Harbour and Bridge.