Nimmie-Caira wetlands restoration project underway as part of Murray Darling Basin Plan

After almost six years of sitting idle a vast wetland in south-western New South Wales, known as the 'Kakadu of the South', is coming to life once more.

The restoration of the Nimmie-Caira wetlands is one of the most ambitious projects under the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

In 2013, the Federal Government bought 11 farms between Hay and Balranald for $180 million, with the aim of rehabilitating the 86,000 hectare site.

In May, global environmental charity The Nature Conservancy was announced as the managers of the wetland, along with local Indigenous organisation, the Nari Nari Tribal Council.

The tribal council moved onto the Nimmie-Caira in July and in the last fortnight a 32,000 megalitre environmental water release — the first since the wetland came under the custodianship of The Nature Conservancy — started flowing through.

"Nimmie-Caira is in the centre of an area that's quite remarkable," acting commonwealth environmental water holder Hilton Taylor said.

"To the north, there's the lower Lachlan river system and it has the Booligal wetlands and the Great Cumbung Swamp.

"To the west, we've got Yanga National Park and Yanga Lake and down to the Junction Wetlands, where the Murrumbidgee River joins Murray.

"To the south we have the Edward-Wakool system, which is described as an inland delta."

NSW Regional Water Minister Niall Blair said the environmental water flow making its way through the property will have long-lasting effects.

"This is the first time in a long time that we're seeing the river, the wetland and the (Yanga) lake linking up and that's really going to be a key, particularly for some of the fish breeding in this area," he said.

Mass fish breeding event expected

The environmental water is set to not only bring life to the Nimmie-Caira, but also Yanga Lake — one of eastern Australia's most significant wetland habitats for waterbirds.

It is also home to around half a million golden perch, or yellow-belly.

"These are baby golden perch that are there as a consequence of a combination of last year's natural flows, plus a combination of environmental water," Mr Taylor said.

"It'll probably be one of the biggest breeding events we'll know of on record.

"That half a million fish, we want to keep them healthy by getting this water through the system, in cooperation with our state colleagues.

"So when good seasons come they'll disperse out of the lake right across the Basin."

Indigenous owners excited for the future

Mark Brettschneider is one the land managers living on the Nimmie-Caira and grew up in the region.

Since moving onto the site in July, his priority has been ridding the area of pests like feral pigs and deer, and reconfiguring former irrigation infrastructure over the vast area of land so water can be delivered more effectively to the wetlands.

The Nari Nari Tribal Council also has plans to use some of the land for grazing, which will help pay for the ongoing management of the Nimmie-Caira.

"It's going to be huge, when we get the place set up tourism is going to be a big thing," Mr Brettschneider said.

Environmental water important in dry times

Much of New South Wales remains in drought and there have been calls, particularly from irrigators in the state's south, to divert water reserved for environmental flows to productive use.

Mr Blair said there are water sharing plans in New South Wales, which identify what water should be used for farming and what water should be used for the environment.

Mr Taylor said the Nimmie-Caira was a priority for watering, given the ongoing dry conditions.

"It's really about having these refuges really consolidated, so that they're resilient."

For Mr Brettschneider, this environmental water flow marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Nimmie-Caira.

"Every day I get out of bed knowing I'm doing something good for the environment and it feels good," he said.