▁is ▁built ▁beside ▁the ▁M urr umb idge e ▁River , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Murray - D ar ling ▁river ▁system ; ▁Australia ' s ▁largest . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁business ▁district ▁of ▁Hay ▁is ▁situated ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁bank ▁of ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Ab original ▁communities ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁River ina ▁were ▁tradition ally ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁the ▁more ▁habit able ▁river ▁cor rid ors ▁and ▁amongst ▁the ▁re ed bed s ▁of ▁the ▁region .   ▁ ▁The ▁district ▁surrounding ▁Hay ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁at ▁least ▁three ▁separate ▁Ab original ▁groups ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁European ▁sett ler ▁expansion ▁onto ▁their ▁lands .   ▁ ▁The ▁area ▁around ▁the ▁present ▁town ship ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁site ▁of ▁interaction ▁between ▁the ▁N ari - N ari ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁Lower ▁M urr umb idge e ▁and ▁the ▁Wir adj uri ▁who ▁inhab ited ▁a ▁vast ▁region ▁in ▁the ▁central - western ▁in land ▁of ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁ ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 8 2 9 ▁Charles ▁St urt ▁and ▁his ▁men ▁passed ▁along ▁the ▁M urr umb idge e ▁River ▁on ▁horses ▁and ▁d ray s . ▁They ▁launched ▁their ▁wh ale - bo at ▁near ▁the ▁M urr umb idge e - L ach lan ▁j unction ▁and ▁continued ▁the ▁journey ▁by ▁boat ▁to ▁the ▁Murray ▁River ▁and ▁eventually ▁to ▁the ▁sea ▁at ▁Lake ▁Alexand r ina ▁( before ▁returning ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁route ). ▁During ▁the ▁late - 1 8 3 0 s ▁stock