Namoi

Namoi is a river located in New South Wales, Australia. It is a major tributary of the Barwon River and part of the Murray-Darling Basin. The Namoi River basin covers a large agricultural region in central northern New South Wales.

The river rises in the Warrumbungle Range near Coonabarabran and flows generally east and northeast across the Namoi Valley, passing through towns such as Narrabri and Boggabri, before joining the Barwon River. Its course traverses a mix of agricultural land, open plains, and scattered wetlands, with lower reaches supporting wetland habitats.

The Namoi Valley is a significant agricultural region that relies on river water for irrigation. Water from the Namoi supports crops including cotton, wheat, sorghum, and various pastures and horticulture. Irrigation schemes and water management are overseen by state authorities, reflecting aims to balance agricultural needs with environmental considerations and downstream uses.

Ecologically, the Namoi supports native aquatic and riparian species and contributes to regional biodiversity, particularly in the wetlands along its lower reaches. Environmental pressures include drought and climate variability, water extraction, sedimentation, and nutrient runoff from agricultural activity. Management efforts focus on maintaining water quality, ecological flows, and sustainable land and water use.

Indigenous history in the Namoi region is tied to the Kamilaroi (Gamilaraay) people and other Aboriginal communities, who have longstanding connections to the river and its surrounds. European exploration and pastoral development during the 19th century led to irrigation expansion and the development of infrastructure that shaped settlement patterns in the Namoi Valley.