The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water
The Hon Rose Jackson MP, NSW Minister for Water

An extra 147 megalitres of water has been returned to the environment thanks to the completion of a $2.4 million critical infrastructure upgrade at Nap Nap Station near Hay in southwest New South Wales.

The project is the latest to be completed under the Australian Government’s $1.54 billion Off-farm Efficiency Program and cements the NSW

Government’s commitment to help recover 450 gigalitres of water under the Murray−Darling Basin Plan.

Off-farm Efficiency Program projects aim to modernise water delivery systems to boost drought resilience, improve efficiency and increase water availability for the environment, irrigation and local communities.

The newly constructed infrastructure includes:

• 85 kilometres of pipes which have replaced open channels to reduce water evaporation and seepage
• two stock and domestic pump stations which will improve water security and delivery to a wide area to improve environmental outcomes by reducing concentrated grazing pressures
• 47 tanks and 46 troughs to support animal welfare.

The project has also significantly boosted bushfire fighting capabilities by improving water access points, saving crucial seconds in times of emergency.

Rural Fire Service compatible couplings were fitted to water tanks installed under the project across the property. This work has already proved invaluable after firefighters were able to easily connect to the tanks and contain and extinguish a blaze on the property which was sparked by lightning last year.

Nap Nap is a sheep, cattle and cropping station sitting on 30,000 hectares of environmentally and culturally significant land and plays a key role in the delivery of water in the lower Murrumbidgee.

Nap Nap Station wishes to acknowledge and thank the Nari Nari Tribal Council led by Jamie Woods for their invaluable assistance with the project.

The route of the pipeline and the various watering points and installations also had to be surveyed for Indigenous artifacts and burial places.

Work on the project began in 2022 and was completed in April 2024 using local and regional suppliers and contractors making a significant contribution to the local economy.

For more information on the project and the Off-farm Efficiency Program, visit: Off-farm efficiency program

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water the Hon Tanya Plibersek:

“The Albanese Labor Government is committed to delivering the Murray−Darling Basin Plan and ensuring the Basin’s rivers are returned to health.

“Dry times are a fundamental part of the Australian climate, and our government is taking the necessary steps to ensure communities and the environment are resilient and ready.

“Projects like the Nap Nap station upgrade recover the water we need, are an immediate boost to water efficiency and can provide long-term benefits.

“Our government is continuing to work closely with our state and territory counterparts to identify more water saving projects that can be funded through the new Resilient Rivers Program.

“I thank the NSW Minister for her work to deliver the Basin Plan in full.”

Quotes attributable to New South Wales Water Minister Rose Jackson:

“The project's completion is a win on all fronts. Not only does it mark another milestone in achieving better health outcomes for the Murray Darling Basin system, it also shows what can be achieved when all governments come together to support local industries, and boost jobs and regional economies.

“Projects like these underscore our commitment to achieving critical water savings and improving drought resilience by investing in major infrastructure like pipes, pump stations, tanks and troughs to help large agricultural enterprises like Nap Nap improve productivity while also supporting a healthier river system.

“It’s also great to see the improved water access points for firefighters already making a difference and with predictions of a drying climate, I have no doubt these upgrades will be critical during future emergencies.

“Being smarter about the way we use our resources means we can strike a better balance between the needs of all water users, including the environment.”