Accommodation in the nearby towns of Grenfell, Canowindra and Young are also close to capacity.

NSW Nationals Chairman Bede Burke said that the Party’s practice of holding the Conference in a regional location each year was in line with the Party’s core values.

“We put our money where our mouth is when it comes to holding our Conference regionally” Mr Burke said.

“It all comes from grassroots members putting in a bid to hold the event in their local town.

“Having Conference in Cowra this year has resulted a real boon for the local economy,” Mr Burke said.

Hundreds of the Party’s grassroots members are travelling from right across the state to put forward and debate motions at the Conference which will help shape the Party’s policy and the future direction of New South Wales.

The strong attendance highlights grassroots engagement within the Party is alive and well, with members keen to get involved ahead of the Party’s centenary next year.

Over 60 motions from local branches right across the state are up for debate over the Conference, ranging from health services and tax policy to important road projects and electricity supply.

Local venues including Cowra’s PCYC, Quarry Restaurant, the Japanese Gardens, and Cultural Centre and Cowra’s historic Show Society Pavilion are being used to hold the Conference and various social events. 

As the only Party dedicated to representing regional, rural and remote communities, the NSW Nationals holds the event in towns across the state, with the Party’s 2017 Conference held in Broken Hill and 2019 Conference set to be held in Inverell.

Oher recent Conference locations have included Tweed, the Hunter, Queanbeyan, Bathurst, Bowral, Port Macquarie, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.