A 66-year-old grandmother is in a mental health unit in Orange after being moved from Dubbo Hospital has self-inflected wounds.

Police say she faces serious charges and can expect to face charges on two counts of Murder, following a police investigation.

Homicide detectives from Surry Hills from Sydney visited Coonabarabran to further question the woman after what was understood to be a request from a neighbour to the Department Community and Justice to do a welfare check.

Police then tasked to visit the Emu Lane home where they discovered the bodies of two boys aged 6 and 7 on Monday (May 5).

Police said they forced entry into the house following a concern for welfare.

They found the body of the six-year-old boy in a front room before finding the boys' sole carer, who police say was distressed and had attempted self-harm. A further search revealed the seven-year-old's body.

The grandmother was taken to the local hospital and placed under police guard.

The tragedy has received national media attention. IMAGE: River McCrossen

Police Western Region Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the family moved to Coonabarabran from the Central Coast about 11 months ago and that the boys had been in her care for "some time."

He also said the woman had been known to police, although not adversely, through a previously reported matter.

"Body-worn cameras were activated at the time. She spoke to police about what had taken place and what had occurred in the house at that time. That information is being included in the investigative process," he said.

"I would like to really commend the young officers involved. The scene would have been confronting and, knowing that they have been impacted by that, we are making sure that they are receiving the support they need through our counselling services and through our chaplains.

"Detectives are still taking statements from witnesses and other people around town who have known the family for an extended period of time. At this point, the post-mortem for the two young boys is scheduled for Thursday morning and will likely go ahead at that time. That will give us a confirmed cause of death, which at this stage has not been identified.

"If people are dealing with mental health issues, they need to make contact, they need to get support, they need to get the proper counselling that they require and obviously speak out."

The parents have been informed.

An ABC reporter on the ground told ABC 24 TV she talked to parents of other children who were in tears in town

Social Media was inundated with support for the children and the community ‘’Fly with angels, hearts are broken.’’

NSW Premier Chris Minns said "The state is in mourning."

Member for Barwon Roy Butler said "The death of any child is always devastating in a small community, in a small town where everyone is connected it hits the community even harder.

"My heart goes out to the people of Coonabaraban in this time of grief and loss."

Grief counselling is being given to children, parents and teachers at the local public school.

A local chaplin offered help on the scene of the incident and continues to provide support.

Police say they will speak to the grandmother once she is released from the mental health unit.

Officers from Orana Mid-Western Police District are now investigating the circumstances of the deaths under Strike Force Darnum, assisted by detectives from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.