Trangie Agricultural Research Centre is highly respected as the largest facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Affectionately known as "The Farm", the centre has provided research to underpin a competitive rural sector and forged links with industry, schools, sports clubs and agricultural shows.

Research has covered a wide range of topics, from horticulture and agronomy to major themes of sheep and beef genetics.

More recently the centre's program has focused on ecology and management in semi-arid rangelands including climate risk management, animal behaviour and welfare in livestock production and the development of precision management systems for both agricultural and pastoral industries.

The extensive area available at the 4500 hectare centre provides opportunities for large scale grazing and farming operations to co-exist with wildlife and biodiversity conservation.

Senior research scientist Cathy Waters has spent 25 years with the Department of Primary Industries, mostly at Trangie and the western division.

Her research focuses on semi-arid rangelands west of Nyngan.

"The work involves the ecology of extensive grazing areas and how management influences environmental factors," Dr Water said.

"We have a grazing management project looking at differences in soil carbon and biodiversity.

"I am also part of a national project looking at how we can combine exotic grasses with legumes to provide pasture combinations to withstand variable climate."

Dr Waters said current cropping, rangelands, pastures and livestock genetic research complemented past and ongoing research.

"Because we are able to run large enough numbers of animals, we are able to do some very serious genetic work," she said.

"Research in areas such as managing methane reduction in livestock production and carbon storage in western NSW reflects the national and worldwide significance of our work.

"Finding lines of cattle that are low emitting and using feed efficiently will have an impact on the industry.

"We are looking at tools, including the direct measurement of animals, to inform breeding at the top end of studs. The work is looking to be profitable and also environmentally sustainable."

The Trangie facility was established as a demonstration farm in 1915.

In the 1920s ploughing comparisons looked at the differences between using horses and tractors.

During the 1930s livestock genetics programs changed the ways farmers selected breeding stock.

In the 1940s the farm became a centre for targeted research.

"Relevant science has been the focus throughout our history," Dr Waters said.

"In the early days everything was done with experiments on the research station. We have moved to real-life experiments but the cohort of scientists and important cattle genetics and cropping programs remain at Trangie."

On February 14 the centre will open its gates to the general public for the first time ever.

Bull sales, workshops and field days have been held in particular sections of the property over the years.

"But people have never had the chance to glimpse what goes on behind the scenes," Dr Waters said.

"During our centenary celebration we will have bus tours running all day. It will be a real family event with lots of stalls, jumping castles, face painting, refreshments and 'real' coffee.

"We expect considerable interest in the $1.5 million irrigation upgrade, our commercial cotton crop and how we are measuring methane in cattle.

"A display of the most contemporary research will explain what we are doing in simple terms."

In the early afternoon a soap box forum will allow people to share short stories about Trangie and the research centre.

In the evening 150 people will gather in a large machinery shed for a staff reunion dinner.

Dr Waters said the centre had been involved in spheres outside scientific research.

"During the Nyngan floods we were the centre for fodder distribution," she said.

"We have been active in fire fighting.

"A number of our key staff have been engaged in developing policy across the state and the centre was heavily involved in the recent Trangie-Nevertire irrigation scheme upgrade.

"The irrigation project has had a real impact and benefit in the way irrigation business is done in the Macquarie Valley."

Dr Waters said rangelands science was a fairly new discipline that only started in the mid 1990s.

"Prior to that the CSIRO had a limited involvement," she said.

"We have taken over that area."