The residents of Menindee in far-west NSW say they are "heartbroken" over the re-election of the Coalition Government, but are taking solace in the end of the Nationals' 69-year reign over the region.

Key points: Menindee sits in the seat of Barwon where a swing to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers has ended Nationals' control

Menindee sits in the seat of Barwon where a swing to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers has ended Nationals' control Residents say the new member, Roy Butler, is their only hope in fighting for the Murray-Darling river

Residents say the new member, Roy Butler, is their only hope in fighting for the Murray-Darling river But the re-election of the Bereijkilian Government has left many in the small town worried

The town came to notoriety across the world this year when 1 million fish died in the Murray-Darling river on their doorstep — an event that became a surprise election issue.

The environmental crisis ignited outrage over the management of water by the Liberal-National Government and the people of Menindee, which sits in the key seat of Barwon, cried out for help.

Barwon, a seat almost as big as Germany, has been a Nationals stronghold since 1950 but on Saturday night the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) ended that hold with a swing of 21.6 per cent.

"We have worked for more than five years to get the Nationals out of Barwon and now with a combined effort all over the Barwon electorate we have succeeded," said Darryn Clifton, president of the Broken Hill and Darling River Action Group.

"The NSW Nationals have decimated the environments of the Darling River and Menindee Lakes and their plan was to further destroy the Lower Darling."

But the return of the Berejiklian Government is a "nightmare" for the people of Menindee and their lifeblood, resident Karen Page said.

Barkindji elder Evelyn Bates with Menindee resident Karen Page at the Darling River. ( ABC News: Jacqueline Breen )

"I had people calling me in tears, it was heartbreaking," she said.

"Everybody out here is devastated … another four years of neglect for our river, it's just not good."

Ms Page, who has lived in Menindee all her life, said she was disappointed that voters in the east did not use their vote to help those in the west.

"They were all shocked and absolutely disgusted in the fish kills but at the end of the day they only cared about their own area."

But she said the election of the SFF's Roy Butler has offered some hope.

"Surely this has given the Nationals a kick in the pants."

'SFF can't deliver': Nationals

But the Nationals leader John Barilaro played the loss down, saying it could have been worse.

He said the party faced a "fierce contest by new rising parties" but predictions of "savage losses" statewide did not eventuate.

"I hate seeing colleagues lose their jobs, but at the end of the day we are in Government and that's the main game," Mr Barilaro said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 3 seconds 1 m 3 s John Barilaro says the Nationals need to rebuild trust with regional voters.

The re-elected member for Monaro said the SFF used slogans that resonated, but that he did not believe they could deliver on.

"But it's cut through and they have taken away from the Nationals," he said.

Ms Page rejected these claims, saying people did not vote for the SFF just because of election slogans.

"We voted for them because we have been shit on by the Nationals."

Newly-elected Barwon member Mr Butler said he was humbled and has developed a 10-point strategy on the Murray-Darling river which he will push to implement.

There will be no negotiations or preference deals with the major parties, he said.

"The best bargaining chip I've got is to sit on the crossbench. That's where I intend to be, and that's what I intend to use."