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Central West

The Central West of NSW is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the state, encompassing a diversity of tablelands, slopes and plains.

The Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the sustainable management of land, water and vegetation resources within the area. The Central West stretches from Hillston in the far south-west, to Walgett in the north, and includes a number of major townships such as Bathurst, Orange, Wellington, Forbes, Dubbo, Mudgee, Parkes and West Wyalong.

Major catchment systems in the area include the Lachlan, Macquarie, Castlereagh, Cudgegong, Belubula and Bogan.

The Central West's major storage areas are Wyangala and Carcoar Dams, Lake Cargelligo, Lake Brewster, Burrendong Dam and Windamere Dam.

The Department plays a vital role in managing, allocating and protecting these water resources. DNR is responsible for allocating water and administering water licences, and has developed water sharing plans to ensure surface water and groundwater supplies are sustainable.

Within this area is the internationally protected Macquarie Marshes, one of the largest semi-permanent wetlands in south-eastern Australia. The Marshes are one of the most important sites in NSW for bird breeding and also contains a large River Red Gum population. There are eight other nationally recognised wetlands in the region, including the Great Cumbung Swamp. DNR is responsible for the allocation of environmental flow regimes for these wetlands.

Another program of importance which involves the DNR Central West is the Cap and Pipe the Bores program. DNR is working with landholders in the Great Artesian Basin to restore deteriorated artesian bores, and replace open–air bore drains with more efficient piped systems. The project will save about 26,000 megalitres of water each year, prevent salt from entering our ecosystem, and provide effective and reliable watering to 1.5 million hectares of productive farmland.

Staff also offer management advice, technical services, information and expertise in a number of other areas, including: