Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Linden, Linden Precinct facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Linden, Linden Precinct
Location	off Railway Parade, Linden, City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1814–
Architect	William Cox
New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Linden, Linden Precinct; Old Bathurst Road; Coxs Road
Type	State heritage (complex / group)
Designated	31 July 2015
Reference no.	1953
Type	Road
Category	Transport - Land
Builders	William Cox; Convict Road Party
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Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Linden, Linden Precinct is a special historic road in Linden, Australia. It's now used as a fire trail and local road. This important route was built by William Cox starting in 1814. He had help from a group of workers, many of whom were convicts. The road is also known as Old Bathurst Road or Coxs Road. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on July 31, 2015, because of its historical importance.

Building Australia's First Mountain Road

This historic road, stretching about 163 kilometers (101.5 miles) from Emu Ford to Bathurst, was built super fast! It took only six months, from 1814 to 1815. Most of the workers were convicts. Governor Lachlan Macquarie wanted a carriage road built across the Blue Mountains. This was after Europeans "discovered" new lands in 1813.

The "First Crossing" in 1813 happened on the traditional lands of the Dharug, Gundungurra, and Wiradjuri people. Aboriginal people had used routes through these mountains for thousands of years before that.

Who Was William Cox?

William Cox was born in England in 1764. He came to New South Wales in 1800. In 1810, he became a Chief Magistrate in Windsor. Then, in July 1814, Governor Macquarie chose him to lead the building of the new road over the Blue Mountains. Cox died on March 15, 1837.

How the Road Was Built

Cox's road builders reached the Linden area by late August 1814. They stayed there until mid-September. This was the first time they faced very steep, rocky areas and narrow ridges. Cox built the road in a simple, practical way. When they found rocky platforms or sharp drops, his men cleared the flattest parts. They removed "an immense quantity of rock" when needed.

They often marked the road with shallow carved grooves. They used the natural rock as the road surface. Where the road went over soft ground, they marked it with rows or low walls of broken stones.

The road passed a pile of stones called 'Caley's' cairn. People thought it marked the end of an earlier failed attempt to cross the mountains. But it might have been an Aboriginal structure.

Challenges in the Linden Area

Cox's journal tells us about building the road. It shows that three areas needed a lot of rock cutting. These were Linden to Woodford, Wentworth Falls, and the descent at Mount York. His journal entries say the road party reached Linden in late August. They built the road through Linden and Woodford in the first half of September 1814.

Cox wrote about the Linden-Woodford area on September 4, 1814:

Sunday, 4 September 1814: Removed to the bridge the working road gang. Removed forward to Caley's pile. No water for stock near the bridge, nor a blade of grass. The water we get is near a mile distant, and that in a tremendous gully to the right. Went forward to Caley's pile, and from thence up the rock to Evans' cave. You get a view of the country from north-west round to south and SSW as far as the eye can carry you from hence. The land to the west is still higher. The country to the northward appears extremely hilly with nothing but rocks and timber. To the east there appears much level country. Windsor and various parts of cleared land is seen from hence'.

Building the road meant finding a path that carts could use. Workers cleared plants, cutting trees below ground level. They removed large rocks and rocky parts. The road itself was built with as little change to the land as possible. They made low cuts into hillsides and small raised sections when needed. In very rocky areas, they cut into the mountain itself. The natural rock then became the road surface.

Some parts of the road might have been filled or leveled with earth at first. But much of the original road surface wore away quickly. By 1819, reports said that tree stumps left in the road were becoming exposed.

Well-preserved parts of Cox's Road still exist in the Linden and Woodford areas. These include small parts like gutters and wedge-pits near Linden Railway Station. There's also a well-preserved section of Cox's Road that starts west of Hepburn Road and the Great Western Highway intersection. It continues west along Old Bathurst Road at Woodford.

Over time, the original Cox's Road was improved. Some short parts became local roads, like Burke Road in Linden. But most of the original Cox's Road in the Linden area slowly stopped being used after the 1830s.

What Cox's Road Looks Like Today

Governor Macquarie told William Cox to build a simple cart road. This was to show that the new lands in the west were open. The road was about 163 kilometers (101 miles) long and finished in just six months. Macquarie wanted the road to be at least 3.6 meters (12 feet) wide. This would allow two carts to pass. He also wanted trees cleared on each side, making the road corridor 6 meters (20 feet) wide. Tree stumps were supposed to be removed, and holes filled. This was the plan for easy areas. However, later travelers said stumps were not always removed. The remaining parts of the road show that it didn't always meet these exact sizes.

The Tollgate Drive section of Cox's Road is one of the most complete parts of the 1814 road in the Blue Mountains. It runs for over 800 meters. It follows and sometimes overlaps with an unpaved access road along the top of the ridge. This modern track crosses and partly covers the older Cox's Road.

At the western end, the access track starts at Railway Parade. It climbs a short, steep slope with loose stones. Where there are rocky areas next to the road, you can see low, hand-cut gutters and kerb-lines. These cuts are between 10 and 60 centimeters high. Where they mark both sides of the road, they are 6 to 7 meters apart. This roughly matches Governor Macquarie's requested width of 6 meters (20 feet). Most of the cuts have straight faces. They show sharp, pointed marks from chisels or pick-axes. Other marks suggest a long, round iron spike was used. A small rock-cut drain, 20 cm wide and 1.5 m long, is also visible. In some places, the low kerb cuts meet natural rock platforms. These edges were cut and smoothed. But the center of the road remains uneven, with natural cracks and deep ruts from cart wheels.

From the ridge, you can see wide views on both sides of the road. These views are like those described by early travelers. This helps you imagine what it was like to travel on the road in the early 1800s. Even though the area around it now has houses, the feeling of the old road remains.

Important Sections of Cox's Road

The State Heritage Register lists six main parts of Cox's Road:

• Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Linden, Linden Precinct - HC Plan 2639
• Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Woodford, Old Bathurst Road Precinct - HC Plan 2640
• Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Woodford, Appian Way Precinct - HC Plan 2641
• Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Mount York , Cox's Pass Precinct - HC Plan 2642
• Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Hartley, Clarence Hilly Range / Mount Blaxland Precinct - HC Plan 2643
• Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Sodwalls, Fish River Descent Precinct - HC Plan 2644

Road Condition Today

As of October 2014, the road was in good shape and mostly intact. Many old features from the 1814 road are still visible. These include the road surface, gutters, and cuttings. The road has a high level of archaeological integrity, meaning it's still very much as it was built.

Why Cox's Road is Important

Heritage boundaries showing the route of the road

As of January 2015, the remaining parts of Cox's Road are very important to New South Wales. It was built from 1814 to 1815. It is the first road across the Blue Mountains and the first structure built by Europeans west of the mountains. Building this road happened after Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson, and William Wentworth explored the area. George Evans then surveyed the route.

Successfully building the road showed that people could overcome the natural barrier of the Blue Mountains. It represented Governor Macquarie's plan for the colony to grow beyond Sydney. Cox's Road helped open up the land beyond the Blue Mountains for new settlements, farms, and grazing. This also led to Aboriginal people losing their traditional lands.

William Cox was known among convicts for being able to recommend pardons. Most of the convicts who volunteered to work on the road were set free. They received pardons or tickets of leave when the work was done.

The surviving road shows how simple and quickly Cox's work was done. It also shows the methods used to plan, cut, and form the road. Along with other old roads, Cox's Road helps us understand the different ways roads were built during the colonial period.

Cox's Road and Early Deviations - Linden, Linden Precinct was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on July 31, 2015, because it met several important requirements.

A Look into New South Wales History

The remaining parts of Cox's Road are historically important for New South Wales. They are physical proof of the first road built across the Blue Mountains. This road, from Emu Plains to the Bathurst Plains, was built in 1814-15. It is one of the oldest colonial-era roads still existing in Australia. The 1814 road shows how the colony in Sydney grew. It also shows how European settlement expanded into western New South Wales. The road stands for the settlement of the country. It also shows Governor Macquarie's hopes for opening up the interior to European settlement. This happened after G. W. Evans discovered the Western plains in 1814. Because of this, the 1814-1815 Cox's Road is very important. It was a major public project that set the stage for future development. Cox's Road is also linked to the founding of Bathurst. Bathurst was the first inland settlement in New South Wales. Governor Macquarie announced its location on May 7, 1815, after traveling along the road.

Important People Connected to the Road

The remaining parts of Cox's Road are important because of their strong connection to key people. These include Governor Lachlan Macquarie, who ordered the road to be built. It's also linked to Captain William Cox, who oversaw the building. The road is also connected to the convicts who worked hard to gain their freedom. And it's linked to the officers and men who helped Cox, like Thomas Hobby, Richard Lewis, John Tighe, and Samuel Ayres. Crossing the Blue Mountains, surveying the route to Bathurst, and building Cox's Road were big events during Macquarie's time as governor. Governor Macquarie showed how important the road was by reporting to Earl Bathurst in Britain. He also traveled to the Bathurst Plains right after the road was built. There, he announced the site for the Bathurst township.

William Cox achieved a lot with a small group of convict men in a short time. No lives were lost due to road-making or other major problems. This showed his reputation as a kinder employer and magistrate than many others at the time. His leadership, vision, and skill in building the road were also clear in other government projects he later won.

How the Road Was Built: Technical Achievements

The surviving parts of Cox's Road show how roads were built before the 1820s. They used simple techniques. Improvements to the 1814 route throughout the 1820s also show later road-building methods. This proves the road was used a lot as a key route to the interior. It was later replaced by the new Great Western Road, designed by Sir Thomas Mitchell in the 1830s.

The Linden - Tollgate Drive/Railway Parade section of Cox's Road is one of the most complete parts of the 1814 road still existing. It stretches for over 800 meters. It runs next to and sometimes on top of an unpaved access road along the ridge. From the ridge, you can see wide views on both sides of the road. These views match what early travelers described. This gives you a sense of what it was like to experience the road in the early 1800s. This is true even though the area around it has recently been developed with houses.

Community Connection to Cox's Road

Cox's Road and its remaining parts are important to the community. There is a lot of interest in finding and promoting Cox's Road for cultural tourism and education. Many people, government groups, and community organizations celebrate the road's 200th anniversary. The road is especially important to the descendants of William Cox. The William Cox Fellowship first suggested listing parts of Cox's Road as heritage sites in the 1980s.

Learning from the Road: Research Potential

Parts of Cox's Road are important for research. They can help us understand how roads, culverts, and bridges were built in the early 1800s. They used basic skills and tools. The remains of the 1814-15 road show what conditions were like back then. They help us understand how exploration and development happened. They also show early colonial road building and how roads were used. The remains represent a big physical, technical, and engineering achievement. They show fine details of the workmanship. Several parts of the 1814-15 road have specific archaeological potential, meaning they could reveal more information through study.

A Rare Piece of History

The surviving parts of the 1814-1815 Cox's Road, from Penrith to Bathurst, are rare examples of early colonial road building in New South Wales. The remaining parts of Cox's Road are important because they are a rare example of road building before 1820. This road was built using only manual labor and simple tools. It came before the more advanced road survey and construction methods used for the later "Great Roads" of the 1820s and 1830s.