There has been an enthusiastic response to a visit by the federal Greens leader to Broken Hill in far west New South Wales, who has promised to take local concerns about water management to Federal Parliament. Key points: Traditionally Labor city has been visited by Greens leader Richard Di Natale

The Menindee Lakes and lower Darling River are almost completely dry

Mr Di Natale promised to lobby other federal politicians

Broken Hill is traditionally a Labor city and sits inside the tightly-held National Party electorate of Parkes, but, at a community meeting on Monday night fronted by Greens leader Richard Di Natale, many attendees said they would now support his party.

The Menindee Lakes and the Darling River south of Menindee are almost completely dry, with many people in the far west blaming the situation on irrigators over-extracting water from the river upstream.

Mr Di Natale and NSW Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham met graziers from along the lower Darling River on Monday on the dry riverbed at Tolarno Station.

The pair also attended a meeting of the Broken Hill and Darling River Action Group, which has been outspoken against politicians of all stripes and the way the river system has been managed.

But Mr Di Natale found a warm reception at the meeting, with both he and Mr Buckingham repeatedly cheered for, saying the Darling River was over-allocated and promising to lobby federal politicians.

Residents of far west New South Wales threw questions at the Greens leader Richard Di Natale and MLC Jeremy Buckingham during a water action group meeting at Broken Hill. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Barry Stone from Sunset Strip said the visit had changed his opinion of the Greens.

"I've been a Labor voter all my life and I think it's time for a change," he said.

"They're not listening to the people.

"I'm prepared to go Greens or any independent there is [and] I'll stay right away from Labor and the Liberals."

Broken Hill resident Eve-lyn Kennedy said she had always been a swinging voter, but joined the Greens days before the visit.

"[The party] is a growing strength," she said.

"As soon as the election is over, assuming that they get into a position where the senators have a balance of power, then we'll hopefully see something done here."

Karrie Lannstrom, also in the audience, said she was impressed the Greens were campaigning in the bush.

"I'm impressed that they're relating to what is traditionally not a Green area," Ms Lannstrom said.

"They're getting a lot more support than what they used to."

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said he had noticed the welcome.

"I think there's a very strong feeling within the community of having been let down," he said.

Water a key election issue

The Darling River is almost entirely dry below Menindee. ( Supplied )

The Nationals MP for Parkes, Mark Coulton, was visited by a delegation of water campaigners from the far west earlier this month, who demanded changes to the management of the river.

Mr Coulton wrote to the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce to convey their concerns about the impact on Indigenous culture.

"It is a complex one," Mr Coulton said.

"So to get an answer back saying 'look you've identified your problem, here's your answer,' it won't be like that," he said.

"[The answer will be] 'We hear what you're saying, we identify the fact that you guys have got a problem, that you're concerned and your concerns are genuine, these are some of the issues we're putting in place over a period of time that hopefully will alleviate that issue.'"

Meanwhile, the Labor candidate for Parkes, Kate Stewart, said her party did not yet have a policy for the management of the Murray-Darling Basin and the Darling River.

She said consultation with community members and groups was still under way.

"We're interested in the views of everyone, not just the people that voted for us," she said.

"Whether they be Indigenous people who have rights to cultural flows, whether it be townships that require a water source, whether it be people further down the river who have permanent plantings, whether it be people further up the river who have some other crops which people might not be very happy about."