plantings appear to be post 1961. Rose Cottage exhibits a sense of containment due to its elevated position. Related landscape features are a "forecourt" area and an area at the back of the cottage and outbuildings. Other Site Features A water cistern is located at the Rose Street frontage of the Heritage Hotel-Motel, reportedly constructed by the Rose family. Victorian brick dome construction with concrete capping, late 19th century, but possibly over an earlier structure. Outbuildings Two sheds are located along the boundaries, to the south and west; and an outbuilding is located close to the south elevation of the cottage. Rose Cottage's outbuildings consist of two distinct construction phases. Outbuilding - west: single-storey, slab walls with bush pole framed sloping roof sheeted in old corrugated galvanised iron, concrete floor, c.1880. Outbuilding - east: single-storey, sloping roof sheeted in corrugated galvanised iron, slab walls and sawn and chamfered hardwood rafters, earth floor, early 20th century. Shed 1: single-storey, pitched roof bush pole, timber slab and corrugated galvanised iron, steel mesh, and pipe construction with granolithic paving and display area for birds, mid to late 20th century. Shed 2: Sawn hardwood and corrugated galvanised iron constructed for display of animals, late 20th century. Heritage listing Rose Cottage is an outstanding example of early 19th century timber slab / lath and plaster construction, most probably dating to the 1810s or 1820s, and inhabited by the Rose family, among the first free settlers to come to Australia, from its construction until 1961. The cottage has retained a visual relationship with the associated land, and provides an indication and is evocative of the nature of early farming settlements along the Hawkesbury River. The cottage is valued by the community as the oldest extant timber slab dwelling in Australia. Rose Cottage was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. The place is important in demonstrating the course, or pattern, of cultural or natural history in New South Wales. Previous historical reports, heritage assessments, and media sources have reported that Rose Cottage is the oldest timber slab dwelling extant in its original location in Australia. The documentary evidence for the date of construction of Rose Cottage relies on two sources: as the cottage at least partly complies with Macquarie's 1810 promulgation on the dimensions of dwellings in the five Macquarie Towns, it is assumed that