The National Trust report points out that the Mid-Western Region has no other natural site that is so significant and so readily accessible, and lists its importance to science, culture and Indigenous history.

“Too often the heritage of Aboriginal people, of settler Australians, and the environment is separated,” the report says.

“The Drip and Corner Gorge are situated at a number of intersections - cultural, historic and geographic.”

The Drip and Corner Gorge, along with the surrounding sandstone escarpments, were added to the register in July.

While the Mudgee District Environment Group is still battling to have the site thoroughly protected by taking it out of Moolarben Mine’s lease and including it in the Goulburn River National Park, group representative Julia Imrie said the members were thrilled with the heritage listing.

She said the group was pleased that the site would now have some protection - although the listing does not enforce heritage conservation, it does affirm the site’s significance. 

“This is something we’ve been working towards for a long time,” she said.

“The ball started rolling in about 2006.”

Mrs Imrie said the Environment Group had worked with local National Trust members David and Clarissa Mort in the early stages of its efforts, with another researcher working more recently on the report that secured the site’s inclusion on the register.

Mrs Imrie said The Drip was important for multiple reasons, from its social history through the 20th century to its indigenous heritage and archaeology.

“That area’s regarded as being quite significant in the toolmaking, and going back the longest in all of the Hunter region,” she said.

The report states that the inclusion of the area in the Goulburn River National Park is supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Office of Environment and Heritage.