Nationals candidate Michael Johnsen, Country Labor candidate Martin Rush and Greens candidate John Kaye visited The Drip on Saturday morning with members of the Upper Hunter branch of the National Parks Association (NPA) and Mudgee District Environment Group (MDEG). 

MDEG chairwoman Bev Smiles said the candidates were invited by the NPA to give them a chance to see The Drip, which is on property owned by Moolarben Mine. 

Environmental groups have called for the landmark to be made part of the national park to protect it from encroaching coal mining. 

Ms Smiles said the campaign has had very good support from Member for Orange Andrew Gee, since many of those who are lobbying for more protection for The Drip are in his electorate. 

However, The Drip is actually in the electorate of the Upper Hunter.

Mr Johnsen said that he had had many discussions about The Drip with Mr Gee and “serious discussions’ were taking place with the office of Deputy Premier and Member for Dubbo Troy Grant. 

“Negotiations are continuing behind the scenes and we are working together as a team to make sure a good outcome is achieved.” 

Mr Johnsen said that although he was on the record as a supporter of mining, he personally believed that The Drip should be part of a national park.

“There are areas where mining can and can’t occur and I think the evidence is that this is one of the places where it can’t occur,’ he said.

Mr Rush said that the current debate over the status of The Drip was the result of the way in which mining leases were grant. 

“Country Labor’s policy has long been to protect areas of conservation value and particularly areas adjoining waterways and national parks, which is certainly the situation here at The Drip,” he said.

“My view is that the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) should be amended to give affected to that [Country Labor] policy,” he said. 

“As matter of environmental law, I certainly support the inclusion of The Drip in the national park.” 

Mr Kaye said The Drip was a beautiful area which needed to be preserved for future generation.

“I absolutely support it being in national park,’ Mr Kaye said. 

Mr Kaye said any mining near The Drip risk cutting into aquifers which fed the landmark.  

“Part of its beauty if the water, and we don’t want to interferes with that,” he said.

Ms Smiles welcomed the candidates’ support for MDEG’s 10-year-long campaign and called for a resolution to continuing negotiations between the State Government and Moolarben Mine over The Drip.

Ms Smiles said under the conditions of approval for Moolarben’s Stage 1 Modification 9, the tenure of The Drip had to be resolved before  before any expansion of mining into the areas approved under the modification.

However, she said with mining rapidly expanding, she was concerned with how this condition would be enforced by the State Government.