From landfill to legacy: Putta Bucca Wetlands expansion gets underway

03 September 2026

Central West Orana REZ Media release Community benefits Biodiversity

A $500,000 grant from the NSW Government's Central-West Orana REZ Community and Employment Benefit Program is helping expand the Putta Bucca Wetlands, delivering new environmental and community facilities.

Putta Bucca Wetlands has previously been transformed from a former quarry, sewage treatment facility, grazing land and municipal landfill into one of the region's most valued environmental assets. The reserve currently supports 37 threatened fauna species and more than 200 bird species.

Work is now underway on the grant-funded expansion, with Mid-Western Regional Council delivering improvements that will expand the wetlands into an interactive and accessible environmental education space for recreation.

This project will include revegetation with more than 500 native seedlings to help restore the critically endangered White Box–Yellow Box–Blakely’s Red Gum Grassy Woodland ecological community, as well as new parking, trails and a viewing platform.

This project will also engage the community in restoring the site's ecological heritage and provide new opportunities for people to learn about and experience the wetlands.

Building on decades of community commitment, the wetlands are regularly used for school excursions, community events and nature-based activities and are connected to Mudgee's CBD via an extensive pathway network.

The project is one of 41 initiatives funded through the Local Community Fund, one of four funding streams under the NSW Government's Central-West Orana REZ Community and Employment Benefit Program.

Together, these grants form part of the NSW Government's investment in community benefits for the region.

Quotes attributable to EnergyCo Director Community Employment Benefit Program Yvette Lloyd:

“The Putta Bucca Wetlands Redevelopment Project will expand the Wetlands, creating a place where families can explore nature, learn about local ecosystems and enjoy the outdoors for generations to come.”

"Through the Community and Employment Benefit Program, we're investing in projects that leave communities better off by supporting the priorities that matter most to local people.

"This project not only enhances an important natural area but creates an accessible community space that future generations will be able to enjoy."

Quotes attributable to Mid-Western Regional Council Putta Bucca Project Officer, McKenzie Redfern:

“We had the vision, but we didn’t have the funding. EnergyCo provided that opportunity to get this delivered to the community quickly.

“We’ll have our viewing platform, which will be fully accessible and look out over the wetlands, giving people an elevated position to experience the space. We’ll have educational interpretive signage as well, which adds to the environmental education side of things.”

What is a renewable energy zone (REZ)?

REZs group new wind and solar power generation into locations where it can be efficiently stored and transmitted across NSW.
Five zones will keep electricity reliable as coal-fired power stations retire, by delivering large amounts of energy.
REZs will help deliver lower wholesale electricity costs and place downward pressure on customer bills through increased competition.

What is the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone?

The state’s first REZ is in the Central-West Orana region, centred by Dubbo and Dunedoo. It takes in Gulgong, Mudgee, Wellington, Gilgandra and other towns.
The REZ is forecast to support more than 1,800 direct jobs in the local area during peak construction, and almost 1,000 ongoing operational roles.
Transmission lines for the Central-West Orana REZ will travel 240 kilometres. The easement will take in 0.04% of the total agricultural land in the four impacted local government areas.
ACEREZ, a partnership of ACCIONA, COBRA and Endeavour Energy, was appointed network operator by EnergyCo to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the transmission network for the Central-West Orana REZ.

Where is the funding coming from?

This initiative is part of the Community and Employment Benefit program. Additional community benefit funding will continue to flow to the region through fees paid by renewable energy projects connecting to the REZ network.
To find out more about the program visit: https://www.energyco.nsw.gov.au/living-in-a-renewable-energy-zone/community-employment-benefit-program