The lake name was first recorded by Surveyor General John Septimus Roe in 1841, and is a Noongar word which possibly means "place of sweet water".

Several plant nurseries, the Ocean View Tavern and the Nowergup Lake wetland and fauna sanctuary are situated along Wanneroo Road.

The western strip between Wanneroo Road and the Mitchell Freeway is approximately the northern half of the Neerabup National Park.

The area also contains most of the Pinjar Pine Plantation, numerous sand and limestone quarries and a Water Corporation biosolids facility.

Barbagallo Raceway, WA's premier motorsport facility, is located just beyond Nowergup's southern border.