Easement Negotiation Information Session

Reconnecting River Country Program

From 29 August 2025, NSW Government will commence negotiations with landowners to secure flood easements along the Murrumbidgee River, between Darlington Point and Balranald, under its Reconnecting River Country Program.

The Program is designed to deliver more environmental water to off-river wetlands and floodplains. To secure these flows, the NSW Government needs to obtain easements from landowners, to enable them to flood / inundate parts of their land.

The impacts could be significant, with the maximum flow limit (as measured at the Wagga Wagga gauge) to be increased from 22,000 ML per day to up to 40,000 ML per day.  While those flows won’t commence until 2031, negotiations are starting now.  Landowners should expect to receive invitations to negotiate (or may have already) which they will then have 28 days to respond to, and a further 12 months to negotiate. 

At Cater & Blumer Solicitors, we identified a need for landowners to obtain more information about this Program and how to negotiate the best possible outcome – they need to engage in negotiations and get the right advice to do so.  To assist landowners, we’re holding an Easement Negotiation Information Session from 12pm until 2pm, Thursday 13 November at the Memorial Club Balranald, 116 Market Street. We strongly encourage affected landowners to attend and learn more about their rights and the negotiation process. 

The Session will cover:

• The background to the Program
• The potential terms of the easements, including compensation, proposed flow rates and frequencies
• The negotiation process
• The last resort compulsory process of the easement interest in land
• How landowners should engage in the process to protect their interests

To book please follow this link  or scan below QR code.