▁important ▁as ▁both ▁dom icile ▁and ▁work place ▁for ▁the ▁lower ▁orders ▁of ▁Sydney ▁society ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁eigh teenth ▁and ▁early ▁nin ete enth ▁century . ▁Its ▁history ▁and ▁development ▁stands ▁in ▁stark ▁contrast ▁to ▁that ▁recorded ▁for ▁other ▁sections ▁of ▁society ▁in ▁official ▁documentation . ▁Fe atures ▁directly ▁connected ▁with ▁early ▁occupation ▁of ▁The ▁Ro cks , ▁particularly ▁the ▁evidence ▁of ▁material ▁culture ▁and ▁buildings ▁which ▁have ▁been ▁revealed ▁through ▁arch ae ological ▁investigation , ▁reflect ▁the ▁taste ▁hab its ▁and ▁means , ▁and ▁hence ▁the ▁soci oc ult ural ▁characteristics ▁of ▁the ▁sites ▁inhabitants . ▁The ▁collection ▁of ▁arte fact s ▁provides ▁evidence ▁that ▁leads ▁to ▁questions ▁about ▁the ▁traditional ▁view ▁of ▁this ▁area ▁during ▁the ▁late ▁nin ete enth ▁century ▁as ▁a ▁" bl ight ed ▁sl um ". ▁The ▁surv iving ▁struct ural ▁elements ▁in ▁their ▁size , ▁construction ▁and ▁format ▁e voke ▁the ▁living ▁conditions ▁of ▁a ▁van ished ▁community . ▁ ▁Through ▁both ▁historic ▁records ▁and ▁surv iving ▁physical ▁evidence ▁that ▁site ▁is ▁associated ▁with ▁many ▁major ▁phases ▁of ▁Sydney ' s ▁history ▁and ▁processes ▁that ▁have ▁sh aped ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁growing ▁col ony . ▁The ▁subject ▁site ▁witness ed ▁sp or adic ▁occupation , ▁cons olid ation ▁through ▁perm iss ive ▁occup ancy ▁and ▁le ases , ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁land ▁gr ants , ▁varying ▁phases ▁of ▁intens ification ▁and ▁construction , ▁wh oles ale ▁res umption ▁and ▁clear ing ▁and , ▁eventually , ▁low ▁key ▁industrial ▁and ▁later ▁government ▁usage . ▁It