This resulted in the removal of houses and the closure of most businesses, leaving Wyangala with a small primary school, a Catholic church (permanently closed), sports fields and parks, in addition to other facilities.

Attractions in the area include Lake Wyangala (used for power generation, water-sports and fishing activities), a nine-hole golf course, walking and mountain bike trails, and the 1.37 km (0.85 mi) long dam wall itself.

Wyangala has a warm and temperate climate with a diverse range of native and exotic plants and animals, including threatened and endangered species.

The flora, fauna and village residents occupy a hilly landscape dominated by granite, with large rock outcrops and boulders throughout the entire area.

[9] By the time Oxley had reached the Cumbung Swamp, he could advance no further due to the presence of 'impassable' marshland, eventually being forced to abandon the journey and to turn back.

The unrelenting tide of Europeans overwhelmed the indigenous population, resulting in the occupation of traditional lands, the destruction of sacred sites, and perhaps most damaging of all, the introduction of new diseases.

A school, at least one (Catholic) Church, banks, a general store... a resident doctor and the inevitable pubs.By the late 1920s, as mining declined, the town faded away.

[11][22] The discovery of gold in other parts of New South Wales in the years prior to that found at Mount McDonald, led to increased bushranger activity.

During the 1860s and 1870s the Lachlan Valley had serious problems with bushrangers, notably gangs led by Frank Gardiner, John Gilbert and Ben Hall, amongst others.

Five years after the heist, an Irishman arrived in New South Wales with a rough map marking the location of the gold, purportedly drawn by Gardiner.

This decline in criminal activity coincided with a general push to populate the region, the introduction of telegraph communications, and the development of transport infrastructure.

[10][27] The official sod-turning ceremony to mark the beginning of the A£1.3 million project was performed by the NSW Premier, Sir Thomas Bavin, on 17 December 1928.

[30] The ceremony was not conducted in the usual manner of turning over a sod of soil, it was achieved through the detonation of explosives, removing tonnes of earth and rock.

[40] The total surface area of the upgraded reservoir was 5,390 ha (13,300 acres), storing 1,220,000 ML (43,000×10^6 cu ft) (two and a half times the volume of Sydney Harbour), within a catchment of 8,300 km2 (3,200 sq mi).

[14] By March 1929, with dam construction underway (see above), up to 60 letters arrived in the village every day or two, whenever a vehicle made the trip from Cowra to Wyangala.

[44][45] To alleviate this issue, and to provide the residents with a reliable postal service, Wyangala Dam Post Office was opened on 14 March 1929.

The first was near the present-day bowling club, and then near the Vic Roworth Conference Center, and finally during the 1960s, it was moved to its current location on Waugoola Road.

After the dam was completed, the church was purchased by Mr Bert Priddle and transported to a property near Grenfell, where it was re-erected and licensed as an Anglican place of worship on 17 November 1935, eventually becoming consecrated by Bishop Wylde on 19 August 1953.

A short time into the trial, before the prosecution could complete their case, there was a dramatic turn of events when the jury indicated they did not wish to continue, as 'the evidence was not good enough to convict the accused'.

There are walking and mountain bike trails through bushland near the village and the State Park, and houseboat hire is available for those seeking the opportunity to explore the lake and catch fish.

Flora and fauna found in and around the village include:[79][80][42] The aforementioned plant and animal species inhabit the geological subdivision known as the Lachlan Fold Belt.

It is a zone folded and faulted with Early Silurian Wyangala Granite, which has intruded passively, deformed Ordovician greywackes and volcaniclastics.

[84] An earthquake of this magnitude is classified as Light on the Richter scale and usually results in noticeable shaking of indoor objects and rattling noises.

The State Water Corporation examined Wyangala Dam to see if it bore damage, finding that pressure and seepage gauges were unaffected by the earthquake.

In 2009 NSW State Water Corporation announced plans to permanently close public road access over Wyangala Dam wall, because of the introduction of 'tough new security measures' and to comply with occupational health and safety requirements.

Subsequently, a report prepared by Ian Armstrong recommended that a bridge be built across the Lachlan River, downstream of the village to give alternate access to Wyangala.

This significant decline in numbers was attributed to the ageing population of the Wyangala community and the lack of any new young families within the village and surrounding area.

In May 2018, fuel supply services at Wyangala, along with several other inland waterways, were closed due to health and safety concerns and a need to upgrade existing facilities.

[97] Visitors were also banned from carting in their own fuel until a storage and management solution was devised, forcing them to refuel at nearby Cowra.

[102] In addition to the direct costs of the enlargement, current camping areas and other infrastructure were to be moved, due to higher water levels once works were completed.