[1] Europeans first entered the upper Shoalhaven River basin in 1822 under instruction from the new Governor, Thomas Brisbane, to investigate the possibility of a track between the Limestone Plains and Batemans Bay.

Earlier in October that year Surveyor General of New South Wales John Oxley instructed Hoddle to mark out land grants for intending settlers in the County of St Vincent.

[1] While on a trip overseas John Coghill's daughter Elizabeth married Robert Maddrell, who came from the Isle of Man and was studying medicine at Heidelberg University.

However, Governor Darling's instructions from London of 1825 required that the natural boundaries of the counties (rivers and ranges) be surveyed for valuation purposes before any more land could be alienated.

Consequently, the few available surveyors were set to mapping rivers and ranges directly, rather than by plotting them in the course of extending a series of grid lines as was done in much of the United States.

[1] In NSW grid lines, often of one square mile, were drawn on the maps that had been made from surveying natural features, and transferred to the ground piecemeal and as required by persons selecting isolated areas for purchase.

Hoddle set aside reserves for future townships including one near Kurraduckbidgee (Arn Prior), one centrally located (the present site of Braidwood) and another further south where Jembaicumbene Creek enters the Shoalhaven.

[1] The Colonial Office in London had instructed Governor Darling to establish a settlement and administration pattern based on the English model with the church playing a major role.

The rapid spread of settlement raised concerns, especially back in London, of the colonial administration's ability to control and service the broad and sparsely populated area.

The British Government was determined that it should be seen as a place of punishment and so act as a deterrent against crime, and frequent directives to the NSW Governor attempted to make the administration in the colony more severe and effective.

[1] Prior to the town of Braidwood being established, Captain Duncan Mackellar of Strathallan was appointed to the bench (1833) and allocated a policeman and a scourger (flogger) to assist in his administration, and he became the most important magistrate in the area.

[1] When the Government agreed to build a courthouse and lockup in the district they recognised that it would form the nucleus of a future town and considered representations from local land-holders.

The courthouse, lockup, barracks and pound keepers hut are the only structures shown on the map that Larmer drew prior to his survey of the village which was gazetted on 24 April 1839.

Few were laid out before 1830, but Governor Darling promulgated planning regulations in his anxiety to bring all aspects of colonial administration into a rigid system.

Surveyor General Mitchell was clearly progressive and far-sighted in his thinking, and among other things, appeared keen for a town plan to be adapted to the physical and social dimensions of a place.

The Court House Hotel still stands as a two-storey brick building in Wallace Street as does the Gold Diggers Home, which became Nomchong's hardware and now a bottle shop diagonally opposite St Bedes.

[1] In 1861 a substantial two-storey gaol and gaoler's residence was erected at northern end of Wallace Street where the barracks for the mounted police had been built 25 years earlier.

In 1925 the Municipal Council organised the Back to Braidwood Celebrations commemorating 100 years of European Settlement, which was made the occasion of cleaning up and beautifying Ryrie Park.

A solid concrete basement was constructed to house a freezing works and ice making factory that would carry the water tanks above to provide steam for the generator, however the company collapsed in the depths of the depression in 1931.

The trough of depression had passed by 1936 when the avenue of Lombardy and Golden poplars was planted at the northern entrance to town to celebrate the 25th year of King George V's reign.

[1] The heritage listing includes the township of Braidwood bounded by the historic 1839 town plan, together with surrounding landscape areas essential to the retention and appreciation of its significance.

While some towns beyond the region retain high integrity, e.g. Grenfell, they post-date Braidwood by several decades, and do not demonstrate Georgian grid planning to the same degree.

The plan, which retains high integrity, reflects colonial administration as applied to the outer reaches of the Nineteen Counties from the 1820s, following earliest European settlement in the area.

[1] The town buildings reflect key phases of development, commencing with the initial construction period in the 1840s, and consolidation in the later half of the century following the gold boom.

The high proportion of 19th century buildings throughout the town contributes further to its heritage value and creates fine streetscapes often with delightful views to the pastoral surrounds.

[1] The views to and from the surrounding pastoral landscape and road approaches to the north, east and south of the township are integral to the conservation and appreciation of its significance.

It is reasonable to assume that these could include churches, the RSL/golf club, the cemetery, Mt Gillamatong, Dr Wilson's grave and the historic and aesthetic ambience and character of the town[1] The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales.

Because of Braidwood's integrity, setting and its evolution since European arrival, the area has considerable potential to assist an understanding of NSW's cultural history.

Braidwood and setting provide an excellent example of Jeans' officially determined cultural landscape and may well prove a valuable benchmark for historical, geographical and other analysis.

It reflects a range of key planning determinants of the day including Governor Darling's approach to order, layout and block and road dimensions.