one of the first telescopes in Australia to utilise electric drives to operate the huge telescope and its observatory dome. The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history. The Linden Observatory is of State heritage significance for its association with Ken Beames who constructed the observatory, its telescopes and the equipment required to make the observatory and instruments. Ken Beames was widely regarded as a master instrument maker responsible for the design and construction of the largest Australian telescope built in NSW before the professionally commissioned telescopes for Siding Spring Observatory in the 1960s. Beames also manufactured other astronomical instruments including the first Australian Made Blink Comparator for Father O'Leary of the Riverview College Observatory. Beames was an active member of the British Astronomical Association during the 1930s and 40s, although less active in his later life. Those colleagues in the association held him in high regard for his contribution to instrument making in the field as noted in the Journal of the British Astronomical Association " [Ken Beames] was one of Australia's most accomplished telescope makers of the 1930s, 40s and 50s" and "one of NSW's leading amateur astronomers during the 1940' and 50s". Although not a professional astronomer, Beames skills as a master instrument maker, his telescopes and observatory were highly regarded by his professional and amateur contemporaries. Ken Beames also made a significant contribution to munitions production during WWII when his rare skills in optics technology were used in the production of lenses for signalling lamps and telescope sightings for the Australian and British Navies. The extent of Beames' contribution in this field is as yet unknown although preliminary investigation of archives, personal reminiscences related by friends and the presence of machinery for mass production of these optical components indicate that his contribution to the production of optics during World War II was sizeable. The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. The Linden Observatory is of State heritage significance because of the high level of technical achievement of the telescope construction by an individual practitioner, Ken Beames, which involved masterful skills in multiple engineering disciplines – instrument design, drafting, construction, optical design, mirror making, electronics, electrical engineering, clock making, pattern making, fitting, turning &