DWE Home > Home > across the state > Western Division >

Department of Water and Energy

Western Division

Almost half of NSW falls within the Western Division, a vast and sparsely–populated region covering more than 32 million hectares in the west of our state. The eastern boundary of the Western Division runs from Mungindi on the Queensland border to the Murray River near Balranald. The Barwon–Darling river system, part of the fourth longest river system in the world, acts as the region's arterial lifeblood as its waters flow from Queensland through the centre of the Western Division to the Murray River in the south.

The Western Division was generally settled several decades after the more eastern parts of NSW. As a result, it has developed into a region with a distinct character, and with different management systems to the rest of the state.
The Division is sparsely populated, with fewer than 2000 primary producer enterprises (virtually all family businesses) and only the mining communities of Broken Hill, Lightning Ridge and Cobar having urban populations greater than 3,000 people. Also, unlike the eastern areas, 95 per cent of the Western Division is Crown Land and is administered by the Department Lands

The iconic and legendary Barwon–Darling River system and Great Artesian Basin are the primary sources of water, sustaining the region, its people and its industries. However, searing summer temperatures and erratic, low rainfall mean that dryland agricultural production in the Western Division is generally less intensive than in the rest of the state. The area was originally settled for grazing and this remains the most widespread land use today.

Horticultural crops including stone fruit, vines and citrus are grown along the Darling River and around the Menindee lakes.

Water quality is a big issue for Darling River users. The Department has programs in place to monitor salinity and blue green algae.