North West Slopes, New South Wales

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Approximate area of the North West Slopes region of New South Wales

The North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia refers generally to the area to the west of New England region, to the north of the Central West region and to the east of the Far West region. The region corresponds generally to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's forecast area of North West Slopes and Plains. ^[1]

It is higher, hiller and wetter on its eastern edge than on its western edge. It is situated on various tributaries to the Darling River, which rise in the Great Dividing Range country to its east, such as the Barwon, Gwydir, and Namoi Rivers.

Its includes the towns of Gunnedah, Coonabarabran, Narrabri and Moree and, arguably, Tamworth and Inverell (which are sometimes classed in New England, although they are much lower than the New England highlands). It has traditionally been a major wheat-growing area, but in recent decades irrigated crops, especially cotton, have become significant.

The Central West region is traversed by the Newell Highway, the Kamilaroi Highway and the Gwydir Highway and by railways connecting to the port of Newcastle.