 Aboriginal people are thought to have inhabited the Riverina for at least 40 @,@ 000 years . The Wiradjuri people were the original inhabitants of much of south western New South Wales including much of the Riverina region along the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan rivers . Other groups living along the Murrumbidgee included the Nari @-@ Nari on the western plains where the town of Hay , the Muthi @-@ Muthi along the Lowbidgee , Gurendji and the Yida @-@ Yida of Oxley . Along both sides of the Murray River lived the Yorta Yorta people inhabiting the area of the Riverina as far east as the present day city of Albury and as far north as the Finley and Deniliquin districts . The Murray was also home to other groups such as the Bangerang , Baraba @-@ Baraba , Wemba @-@ Wemba , Wadi @-@ Wadi , Dadi @-@ Dadi and Paarkantji communities . 
