But a new report for the federal government says White Cliffs is the most vulnerable town in Australia to the impact of climate change.

By 2050, Dubbo may be the western frontier as local economies in the hottest parts of the state succumb to the changing weather.

The report assigns vulnerability ratings to country towns with populations of at least 200 at least 50 kilometres from the coast, taking into account their exposure, sensitivity to climate change as indicated by their weather and their industry base, as well as their capacity to adapt based on education levels and internet access.

Towns with the largest predicted rainfall and temperature changes, and high dependence on agriculture, were rated more vulnerable.

Remoteness and low education levels counted against them, as did low population and low connectedness to the internet.

''The level of vulnerability appears high throughout NSW'', the report found, probably because the state has a higher proportion of remote towns than other states.

But Victoria appeared to have more towns with ''protective'' characteristics, such as proximity to cities and a lower dependence on agriculture for employment.

Many of the most at-risk communities were indigenous communities in remote locations.

Although White Cliffs' economy depends on mining and tourism rather than agriculture, it was vulnerable because of low levels of educational attainment said Andrew Beer of the centre for housing, urban and regional planning at the University of Adelaide, which prepared the report for the federal government's National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility.

But things are looking good at White Cliffs just now, said Jenny Beach, who with her husband, Richard, bought the White Cliffs Underground Motel and moved there from Orange seven years ago.

It has just rained again and is ''wet as anything''; a tour bus of 50 had arrived yesterday afternoon and dinner for 64 was being prepared.

If anything, the tourist season had extended in recent years, stretching through to January when it used to stop in November, Ms Beach said.

The report identified climate change scepticism in country towns as one of the hurdles which needed overcoming to assure their future.

''Without accepting there is fundamental change and it is human-induced, the measures they are likely to introduce are not going to be as effective as they could be'', Professor Beer said.

He said communities and all levels of government would need to work together to protect their futures.

''The story isn't about how places are doomed. The story is about how you are going to face challenges and now is the time to step up and take those challenges on and find solutions''.