THE moment water reached the lakes in Menindee, the morale of the drought-stricken town lifted.

For the Barkandji and Ngiyampaa people, it was a cause for celebration. And renewed hope.

"We all ran out to see the water coming down," said Rachelle Shoemark, after flows hit the lakes for the first time in three years on Wednesday.

"We had no words, we were just laughing," she said.

"It has chang...