But now it’s full to the brim for the first time in five years – and locals like Gil Toole (pictured) are pumped.

That’s one illustration of the turnaround in the season that has painted most of the State green and given farmers the best hope of bumper winter crops for years.

Late last year flow in the Lachlan River ceased downstream of Condobolin, but good rain – driven by a La Nina climate event which is now forecast to continue until at least the end of this year – has pumped flow back into the river.

Wyangala Dam in its headwaters, which was less than four per cent full at Christmas, is now about 24pc full.

NSW Water Commissioner, David Harriss, has announced there is now enough water in the dam to run the river its full length for the rest of the 2010-11 water year, which ends next June.

Mr Harriss also announced an increase in high security irrigation water allocations in the Lachlan Valley from 10pc to 30pc of entitlement, and increases from 50pc to 70pc for town water supplies and from 15pc to 50pc for stock and domestic.

General security irrigation allocations, however, remain at zero, though farmers can now access 15pc of carryover water.

He said the increased allocations could be achieved while ensuring minimum reserves in Wyangala Dam at the end of the water year to meet at least critical needs for next year.

Manager of Lachlan Shire’s caravan park by the shores of Lake Cargelligo, Bridget Simmonds, was thrilled to see the lake tick over from 90pc last week to being officially full.

“We are going to have a brilliant year,” she said.

“At Christmas time even if it’s 40 degrees and flies are blowing around, this park is absolutely packed.”

Last Christmas however the lake – and the park – had been empty.

“No one alive in the town had seen it that empty.”

It had been so low a well and wooden stock water troughs built in about the 1890s had been exposed in the dry bed of the lake, she said.

The town’s newsagent, Gus Blacker, said everybody’s attitude had changed.

“People are walking around with smiles on their faces.

“Farmers are saying that once they get the crop off they’ll come in and go water skiing on the lake.”

Retired grain trader, Ernie Hayes, who lives by the lake, said it was now “103pc full”.

“It’s very nice to see, after having seen it dry for the first time in 100 years.”

On top of that the surrounding country looked “terrific” and farmers’ crops looked “terrific”.