Local Information - Western NSW

The Central West region refers to the area west of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales. Major population and service centres include the cities of Bathurst and Orange, which are home to campuses of Charles Sturt University, the local provider of higher education for the region. Other towns include Oberon, Lithgow, Mudgee, Cowra, Parkes, Forbes, Cudal, Molong, Grenfell, West Wyalong, Condobolin and Eugowra. The Central West's east is higher, wetter and hillier and supports orchards, vegetable-growing and pastoralism. The west is flatter and drier and supports grain crops and pastoralism.

The North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia refers generally to the area west of the Northern Tablelands, to the north of the Central West region and to the east of the Far West region. The region corresponds generally to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's forecast area of North West Slopes and Plains. It is higher, hillier and wetter on its eastern edge than on its western edge. The North West Slopes are situated on various tributaries to the Darling River, which rise in the Great Dividing Range country to its east, such as the Barwon, Gwydir, and Namoi Rivers. The North West Slopes includes the towns of Gunnedah, Warialda, Manilla, Boggabri, Mungindi, Narrabri, Moree, Quirindi, Wee Waa, the city of Tamworth and many villages. It has traditionally been a major wheat-growing area, but in recent decades irrigated crops, especially cotton, have become significant. The primary exports are cotton, coal, beef, lamb and pork, cereal and oilseed grains.

The Far West region of New South Wales, Australia refers generally to a fairly flat and low lying area in the western part of the state, which is too dry to support wheat or other crops or intensive pastoral. It is west of the North West Slopes, Central West and the Riverina. It is an area with limited rainfall and the only major rivers found in it are the Darling River and the Murray River (on its southern edge) which originate in the Great Dividing Range to the east. Its only city is Broken Hill and other significant towns are Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Ivanhoe and Wentworth. 95 per cent of the region is uncleared.The major industries are mining and extensive pasturing.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org