Dorothea Mackellar's Kurrumbede homestead joins State Heritage Register with property on lip of coal mine

It's taken three and a half years of consultation, reports and meetings for the property, 'Kurrumbede', to be added to the register.

Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society president Phillipa Murray said the approval will act as an added layer of protection for the property, which is owned by Whitehaven and sits on the lip of a coal mine.

"We're confident that it will be there for future generations to look at and respect," Ms Murray said.

The application for the heritage listing received 40 public submissions, with 39 in favour and only one against.

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The house, outbuildings and grounds have all been added to the heritage list, which gives Whitehaven access to funding for its preservation.

Built in the early 1900's, Kurrumbede housed Dorothea Mackellar, the brain behind iconic poems such as 'My Country'.

"Kurrumbede is where she spent a great deal of her time, I believe it's of national significance not just state," Ms Murray said.

"She encapsulated the Australian countryside like no one has done since."

Due to the homestead's prevalence in literary circles, the property is believed to also have a cultural significance.

Ms Murray said the shearing shed, stables and living quarters had been left relatively untouched, which amazed almost 2000 visitors when the property opened its doors for the first time to the public in June last year.

"The reaction to the open day last year was just phenomenal," Ms Murray said.

"I think Dorothea Mackellar and her profile and connection to Gunnedah has grown immensely since then."

The homestead precinct was officially added to the register on May 6.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the listing was a testament to the hard work of Ms Murray and the Dorothea Mackellar Memorial Society.

Mr Anderson and Ms Murray had been in regular talks over the past three years and Ms Murray also put forward a strong case to NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage James Griffin.

"They've been fighting hard to get this state heritage listed for some time," Mr Anderson said.

"We need to preserve our history, we need to preserve our heritage and we need to ensure that these old buildings, that are part of our social fabric of where we've come from and remind us who we are, need to be preserved."

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