The daughter of renowned environmental scientist Mary White (AM), charged with murdering her mother in an aged-care facility, has been granted bail with strict conditions.

Dr White, 92, was found dead in her room at the Warrigal aged-care home in Bundanoon on Sunday night.

Her 66-year-old daughter Barbara Eckersley was arrested on Wednesday.

Dr White was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 2009 "for service to botany as a researcher and through the promotion of increased understanding and awareness of the natural world".

But later in life she became ill, suffering from dementia and two strokes.

Today her daughter and accused killer, Ms Eckersley, sat quietly in the dock at Goulburn Local Court with both hands clasped and her head bowed.

No plea was entered and no statement of facts was tendered to the court.

But police allege Ms Eckersley murdered her mother between 5:00pm and 9:35pm on Sunday August 5.

Ms Eckersley's barrister, Hugh White, told the court she had been married for 38 years and had three children and four grandchildren.

He detailed Ms Eckersley's credentials, including a degree in science, a PhD in veterinary physiology and a qualification in medical research from Sydney University.

Ms Eckersley also worked in the university's obstetrics and gynaecology department and, later, at the CSIRO and Parliament House.

Mr White described his client's "exemplary character" and said she and family were "law-abiding citizens".

But he also told the court there "had been serious problems involving her mother" that she "had been attempting to manage with her family".

"There are underlying psychiatric and psychological issues or problems related to stress associated with her mother," Mr White said.

"In June of this year Ms Eckersley was examined at Bowral Hospital for stress related to these issues."

Conflict between family and care facility: defence

The court heard Dr White was suffering from vascular dementia and a stroke before she went to live with Ms Eckersley and her husband in Bundanoon between 2014 and 2016.

She then had another stroke in February 2016 and after that time went to live in an aged-care centre.

The name of the centre was not mentioned in court.

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"She has been in a poor condition since then," Mr White said.

"She's been sleeping a lot, has very little speech or recognition of family members. She's been in constant discomfort or pain and had no enjoyment of life."

Mr White said Dr White's family would visit her every day or sometimes twice a day.

But there had been "conflict between the family and the aged-care centre about her [care] management".

"It was the belief that the aged-care centre weren't able to deal with Dr White's agitation and pain," Mr White said.

"[The family] videoed her to show the treating doctor her agitation and pain, but the treating doctor didn't agree."

The court heard Dr White was to be moved to another centre.

It was not made clear whether that was to or from Warrigal.

Delay for trial could be up to 18 months

Mr White said Ms Eckersley had handed herself into police and she and her family were cooperating with their investigation, including providing recorded interviews.

He said due to Ms Eckersley's mental health conditions, the defence would be arguing the charge should be downgraded from murder to manslaughter.

He also argued for bail, pointing to Ms Eckersley's character, lack of priors and that she "needed time to grieve her mother with her family".

But he said a possible lengthy delay before a trial could take place was the biggest issue.

"There is a significant delay between charging and appearing before the NSW Supreme Court that could be as long as 18 months," he said.

The prosecution argued against bail, saying murder was a "very serious" charge and there was nothing yet before the court to support Ms Eckersley's claim of mental health issues.

Magistrate Geraldine Beattie accepted Ms Eckersley's strong community ties and said there was "nothing to contradict claims of an impeccable character".

Ultimately, Magistrate Beattie found a possible delay of trial was enough reason to grant bail under strict conditions.

Ms Eckersley was ordered to remain at her home at Bundanoon, hand in her passport, report daily to police and not contact Warrigal aged-care centre.

She also had to provide a $20,000 surety.

She is expected to reappear before the court in October.