well suited to the site, with its deep, sheer sided ravine, and the necessity for a single long span was exemplified by loss of the previous two spanned, timber truss bridge to a major flood. Notwithstanding, the loss of some original fabric over time necessitated by maintenance and structural reasons, the defining components of the bridge (towers and suspension system) are readily visible and interpretable from deck level and from public spaces provided to each side of the bridge, its context and setting and in the gully below. The movement of the deck and cables as heavy traffic passes across the bridge is a distinctive experience for drivers, pedestrians and observers. The early suspension form clearly demonstrates the available technology and scope of construction at the time of its construction. It is a demonstration of the inventiveness of the early engineers in finding design solutions to develop infrastructure in daunting terrain. As such it ranks with other engineering feats such as the Zig Zag Railway at Lithgow. Hampden Bridge meets this criterion at a state level. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Hampden Bridge has rarity value at a State level as the only surviving timber decked vehicular suspension bridge from the nineteenth century. The bridge is a rare example of a historic type of road bridge of which few were ever constructed in NSW. It was the second major suspension bridge in NSW. As the sole surviving suspension bridge in NSW, it provides rare evidence of this bridge type and construction especially since the earlier Long Gully, Northbridge suspension bridge was replaced with a concrete arch bridge in 1929.It retains rare qualities of early suspension bridge design and technology which were not commonly applied elsewhere in the state or in other engineering structures. It provides clear demonstration of a point in bridge design evolution which was rarely utilised in NSW in the late nineteenth century despite the availability of the technology. It also has a rare and hence unusual group of anchor structures which have a high degree of aesthetic detail when most of the construction effort for them should have been focussed on their strength and function. Hampden Bridge is of significance for its rarity value at the state level. See also List of bridges in Australia Historic bridges of New South Wales Hampden Bridge (Wagga