Natural Resources Access Regulator

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NRAR is the independent regulator responsible for the compliance and enforcement of NSW water laws.

Welcome to the page of the Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR). The purpose of our page is to engage with the water community and provide updates on our work. This page is managed by NRAR and we will be online Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm. We’ll do our best to respond to you within 1-3 business days. COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

We encourage all our followers to participate in conversations on our page and ask that your comments stay on topic and are respectful to others and their opinions. We welcome all questions and commentary, including constructive feedback. We reserve the right to remove any posts that don’t adhere to our guidelines and to block anyone who violates them. Read our full social media guidelines here: https://www.nrar.nsw.gov.au/social-media-community-guidelines

23/10/2026

What counts as a controlled activity? Some examples include:
👉 building a boat ramp
👉 building retaining walls
👉 erosion control works
👉 building watercourse crossings
👉 activities that alter the flow of water.

If you're doing works on waterfront land, use the waterfront land e-tool to check if a controlled activity approval is required: https://water.nsw.gov.au/controlled-activity-approvals

20/10/2026

Rivers in western inland NSW were once transport super-highways, used to carry people and supplies💧

These historic photos give a glimpse of the riverboat era in Bourke, which was at its peak in the 50-year period between 1864 and 1914.

The cycle of dry and wet made it challenging to transport people, supplies and wool between remote communities and coastal ports.

To try improve the situation, a series of 75 weirs with locks were built across the Barwon-Darling, Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers. The first (pictured) was built near Bourke on the Darling River in 1897.

Then, as today, water was a precious resource upon which many communities depended.

📷 State Library of NSW

15/10/2026

The Strahler stream order classifies the hierarchy of streams and rivers in a river system from smallest to biggest.

First-order stream: Starts at the top of a catchment and has no other streams flowing into it. They are the smallest in a river system.

Second-order stream: Forms when 2 first-order streams join. They are bigger in size due to the water from both first-order streams combining.

Third-order stream: Forms when 2 or more second-order streams join. And so on.

Depending on the stream order, different rules may apply to certain licensing and approval requirements.

12/10/2026

📌 Want to know what NRAR has been doing to enforce the water rules in your area?

Check out our compliance dashboard for a summary of our activities and actions each month:
https://www.nrar.nsw.gov.au/progress-and-outcomes/qrt-reports

07/10/2026

This month, many water users in Lismore, Casino, Bega and surrounding areas will be visited by NRAR Outreach officers to discuss their metering requirements.

Large coastal water users, including those in the North Coast and South Coast regions, are due to comply with metering rules by 1 December 2026.

Do you need to meter? Use the online metering guidance tool to check your requirements: https://www.water.dcceew.nsw.gov.au/our-work/non-urban-metering?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=coastal-metering&utm_content=nrar-post

02/10/2026

A beef company is facing multiple charges over the alleged construction of about 6km of unapproved channels in and around a New England wetland.

01/10/2026

Did you know if we ask for information, you need to provide it 📋

Under the Water Management Act 2000, NRAR can require people to provide information, records or documents relevant to an investigation.

Providing this information helps us conduct investigations that are thorough, fair and based on evidence.

If you do not comply with an information request, we may take enforcement action.

29/09/2026

The Barwon–Darling and West region is vast, flat and low-lying and a critical link between the northern and southern Murray–Darling Basin.

Covering about one-third of NSW, the region is the traditional lands of many First Nations people.

One of the oldest human-made structures on Earth, the Brewarrina fish traps, traditionally known as Baiame's Ngunnhu are located at Ngemba Billabong.

Majority of the land in this region is used for dryland grazing of cattle for beef and sheep for wool.

24/09/2026

If your meter stops working or the telemetry connection is lost for more than 3 days, you must notify WaterNSW within 24 hours.

If the equipment can't be repaired or replaced within 21 days, apply for an extension and provide the reason for the delay.

Until everything is working again, you need to explain how you'll measure water taken and record the usage in a logbook.

Failure to report a faulty meter could lead to enforcement action.

Report a faulty meter using the S91i form: https://www.waternsw.com.au/customer-services/metering/s91i-reporting

21/09/2026

How do horses prepare for a visit from NRAR? They make sure the place is neigh and tidy 🐎

📷 Staff snapshot in Scone, Upper Hunter NSW

Address

Opening Hours

Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00

Website

https://www.nrar.nsw.gov.au/

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