Central Darling Shire is the largest Shire in NSW, having an area of approximately 52,000 km2, with its office based in the town of Wilcannia and also covering White Cliffs, Menindee, Ivanhoe and the villages of Tilpa, Mossgiel & Darnick
Central Darling Shire was constituted on the 1st of May, 1959 and encompasses an area of almost 52,000 square kilometres, making it the largest Local Government Area (LGA) in New South Wales. Conversely, population figures for the Shire are one of the lowest at 2,600 residents dispersed throughout the towns of Ivanhoe, Menindee, White Cliffs and Wilcannia, and its localities of Darnick, Mossgiel and Tilpa.
The principle economic activities within the Shire include pastoral, horticulture, agriculture, mining and tourism. Rural grazing properties represent the largest land use within the Shire, accounting for 97% of the entire area.
Major horticultural and agricultural production is centered on Menindee. The relative ease of access to water from the Darling River and Menindee Lakes Storage Scheme enables producers to grow a large variety of crops and fruits. Producers’ routinely trial new plantings, equipment and techniques in an on-going process to improve efficiencies and increase yield
Opal mining has been the predominant mining industry within the Shire. Opal was discovered White Cliffs in 1884 and the first commercial opal field commenced operation in 1890, reaching its peak in 1899. Today many small-scale mining operations have continued and White Cliffs' opals can be found around the world.
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