Prince Henry site was the most important site for the treatment of infectious diseases in New South Wales from its inception in the 1880s, when, as the Coast Hospital, it became the first public hospital in New South Wales in the post-convict era. The Hospital played a prominent role in treating and overcoming infectious diseases and later as a general hospital and teaching hospital for the University of NSW, until its closure was announced in 1988. Its isolation led to the establishment of the first ambulance service in New South Wales from within its grounds. The location of the hospital by the sea, the design and siting of buildings in a spacious open setting, their relationship with each other and the layout of the site itself, created an aesthetically distinctive complex with Pine Avenue as its central axis. The buildings and landscape provide evidence of the prevailing attitude to health care during a number of important phases of development. The Flowers Wards and the remains of the early infectious disease hospital, including Ward 16, the former Nurses (14) Quarters, the former Nurses Dining Hall/Nurses Lecture Hall, the Bush Wards and the site of the Male Lazaret, demonstrate the isolation required for the treatment of infectious diseases and early attitudes to public health, which saw health benefits in being by the sea. The architectural character of these early buildings contrasts with later buildings built after 1934, after the Hospital changed its name to Prince Henry and a new phase of expansion began. The larger scaled Heffron and Delaney Medical Ward Buildings, the Matron Dickson Nurses Home, and the McIlrath Pathology Building provide evidence of changing practices in medical care and staff accommodation, as well as contributing visually to the ambience of the place. A range of ancillary buildings, such as the former Water Reservoir, the Memorial Clock Tower, Water Tower, and 'Hill Theatres' add visual as well as technological interest. A coastal landscape of high scenic and scientific value is enhanced by the beach, headlands and pockets of indigenous vegetation. A geological exposure area has research and educational value relating to the development of the present coastline and to the climate and vegetation of the area twenty million years ago. A number of cultural landscape features including the Norfolk Island Pine trees along Pine Avenue, plantings of palms, New Zealand Christmas trees and banksias, rock cuttings, retaining walls, early road alignments