It was laid out in 1879 on the farm Hooikraal, was administered by a village management board from 1882 and attained municipal status in 1909.

Moorreesburg lies just off the N7 national road, at a driving distance of 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Cape Town.

The R311 regional road also passes through the town, as does the West Coast branch line railway.

Moorreesburg was named after J.C. le Febre Moorrees (1807–1885), minister of the Swartland congregation of the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk from 1833 to 1881.

[5] The town is an important logistical and processing hub for wheat and oats, two crops that are extensively cultivated in the surrounding area.