A remarkable feature of the Greenough Flats is its windswept trees, some of which are bent 90 degrees due to the prevailing coastal winds.

The fertile land was once the home of the Yamatji people, who lived a fairly sedentary life and subsisted on fish and water fowl from the river mouth, shell-fish from the coast and game from the hills.

In 2016 the Anglican and Catholic Churches in Central Greenough were the only community institutions established in the 19th century that continued to have an active membership.

In 1966 the Geraldton Historical Society opened the first local history museum in the Mid West, in the former Maley family homestead at North Greenough.

Soon after, the National Trust of Western Australia carried out a survey of heritage places in the region; the work was led by architect and planner Margaret Feilman.

The National Trust also began acquiring historic properties on the Greenough Flats, many of which were gifted, with the object of ensuring their conservation.

In 1993, Greenough made national news headlines when a woman and her three young children of this small community were murdered.