Lake Cowal is situated 47 km North East of West Wyalong and is home to a variety of endangered species.

Some of these species include: The lake is listed on the now-defunct Register of the National Estate in 1992 and was added to the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia in 1998.

[4] There is concern among environmental groups and the local Wiradjuri Aboriginal people that the cyanide used in the mining process prior to 2007 could lead to the contamination of the lake.

[citation needed] The area was explored for gold in the 1980s and 1990s by North Limited, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto Group.

[6] One hundred and eight million tonnes of low to medium grade ore would be excavated from an open cut pit 1 km wide and 325 metres deep on the lake shore and partly within the high water level of Lake Cowal to produce an estimated 2.7 million ounces of gold.