The surface may be greening after recent rain, but the effects of the drought run deep in the NSW New England.
Farmers, market gardeners, beekeepers and councils are all playing their part in the search for solutions.
They just want the Government and Opposition to do the same.
Story and editing: Travis Radford @travi_is_radford
Video: Rhiannon Soliman-Marron, Sidney Boen, Kirsten Jelinek and Lauren Klugt