[10] The waterhole known as Lake Nash to European settlers was used by Aboriginal peoples for millennia, and was called Ilperrelhelame in the Alyawarre language.

It has many Dreaming legends attached to it, and the local Alyawarre people lived in a traditional way, hunting and foraging and performing their ceremonies until 1920.

After a legal battle, 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi) was excised from the pastoral lease of the 12,000-square-kilometre (3×10^6-acre) Lake Nash Station and given back in 1983, forming what is now Alpurrurulam.

The town is mostly referred to as Lake Nash colloquially, and for mail delivery (via Mount Isa), and Alpurrurulam for all official matters, such as a census.

[15] Services include the Barkly Regional Council Alpurrurulam Service Centre, aged care facilities, night patrol, sport and recreation, Centrelink, a post office, the Warte Alparayetye community-owned store, Alpurrurulam Community School (to Year 9), and the Rainbow Gateway, a new community development program.