as a more humane employer and magistrate than many of his contemporaries. The leadership qualities, vision and skill he showed constructing the road would also be evident in later government contracts won by Cox for other public works . The place is important in demonstrating aesthetic characteristics and/or a high degree of creative or technical achievement in New South Wales. The surviving precincts of Cox's Road have state technical significance for their ability to demonstrate simple, pre 1820s road building techniques. Improvement of the 1814 route throughout the 1820s also provide important evidence of later road building techniques and demonstrates the ongoing use of this key route to the interior, before it was superseded by the new Great Western Road laid out by Sir Thomas Mitchell in the 1830s. The Mount Blaxland - Clarence Hilly Range Precinct illustrates Cox's 1814-15 road and the way it was modified through the 1820s to service increasing traffic, until it became superseded by new road lines after 1830. It is possible to discern and demonstrate the difference between Cox 's first rough track and the -26 improvements to the alignment, gradient, width and stability of the road. The Mount Blaxland - Clarence Hilly Range Precinct has considerable archaeological potential as remains of a very early bridge (1815-1827) were previously identified at Mary Anne Creek, and numerous other potential bridge sites exist through this precinct. It is also likely that further archaeological work to excavate and clear key parts of the road formations in this precinct may reveal more detail regarding the early structures and construction features such as currently silted up or buried side-drains. The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. Cox's Road and its remnants are demonstrated as having social significance at a state level by the substantial interest in identifying and promoting Cox's Road for cultural tourism and education, and celebrating the bicentenary of the road by the general public, state and local government bodies and a range of community organisations. The road is of particular importance to Cox descendants. The William Cox Fellowship first nominated sections of Cox's Road for heritage listing in the 1980s. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Precincts of Cox's Road have