It was gazetted as a distinct suburb in 1967, and had its boundaries altered in 1975 and 2000.

[7][8][9][10][11][12][13] The suburb includes the National Trust of Australia-owned Mount Laura Homestead Museum heritage village, consisting of the former Mount Laura Station homestead, the Gay Street Cottage and Wash House, the Whyalla Policemen's Dwelling Lockup, engine sheds, a blacksmith shop, harness shed, telecommunications museum, and a former steam train from the Iron Knob mines.

[14] The cottage and police lockup are both separately listed on the South Australian Heritage Register; both buildings were relocated to the site in 1978.

[15][16] Whyalla Norrie was in the top five country localities in South Australia for real estate price growth in the decade to 2013.

[17] Whyalla Norrie has its own branches of the Rotary Club and Country Women's Association.