ae ological ▁site ▁has ▁received ▁multiple ▁awards ▁in ▁design ▁and ▁her itage . ▁The ▁Y HA ▁development ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁arg u ably ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁contemporary ▁examples ▁of ▁in - s itu ▁conservation ▁of ▁arch ae ological ▁remains ▁in ▁an ▁urban ▁context ▁anywhere ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁C umber land ▁Street ▁arch ae ological ▁site ▁was ▁listed ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁South ▁Wales ▁State ▁Heritage ▁Register ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁having ▁satisfied ▁the ▁following ▁criteria . ▁ ▁The ▁place ▁is ▁important ▁in ▁demonstr ating ▁the ▁course , ▁or ▁pattern , ▁of ▁cultural ▁or ▁natural ▁history ▁in ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁ ▁The ▁occupation ▁of ▁The ▁Ro cks ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁dec ades ▁of ▁the ▁settlement ▁at ▁Sydney ▁C ove ▁represented ▁a ▁significant ▁phase ▁and ▁important ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁life ▁and ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Sydney ▁community ▁and ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Sydney ▁itself . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁quarter ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁built , ▁sh aped ▁and ▁occupied ▁mostly ▁by ▁conv ict s ▁and ▁ex - conv ict s . ▁The ▁physical ▁elements ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁provide ▁a ▁material ▁dimension ▁to ▁this ▁part ▁of ▁early ▁Sydney ▁history ▁and ▁evidence ▁of ▁the ▁conv ict / ex - conv ict ▁l ifest yle . ▁The ▁latter ▁is ▁particularly ▁significant ▁as ▁the ▁organ ic ▁growth ▁of ▁The ▁Ro cks ▁settlement ▁and ▁lack ▁of ▁government ▁reg ulation ▁evident ▁in ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁houses ▁contrast s ▁the ▁popular ▁per ception s ▁of ▁conv ict ▁life . ▁ ▁The ▁Ro cks ▁was