The station was established on Anmatyerre tribal land at the beginning of the 20th Century.
Strehlow visited the station on his first fieldwork trip in 1932 to record songs and Anengkerr (dreaming) stories from the elder Friday Mpetyan.
Non-exclusive Native title was granted by the Federal Court of Australia to the Anmatyerr and Arrernte people over Napperby Station in 2013 by consent.
The Central Land Council submitted new applications for native title rights over the whole pastoral lease in 2011.
[2] Napperby was sold for A$20 million to Tim Edmunds, a local pastoralist, in 2017.