to late Victorian buildings south of Wilson Street reflect the impact of the gold discoveries from 1851. 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. The initial land grant to the Church and School Estate, combined with the pastoral holdings of Mackellar, Wilson, Coghill and Maddrell created a distinctive land tenure pattern that remains clearly legible in terms of property subdivision, rural housing density, vegetation patterns, boundary fence divisions and road patterns. The place has a strong or special association with a person, or group of persons, of importance of cultural or natural history of New South Wales's history. Thomas Braidwood Wilson, after whom the town is named, was one of the first people to be granted land in the area. It was from his selection that the village reserve was resumed and the width of his property defined the town's length. Wilson was also responsible for recommending a reserve be set aside, that eventually became Ryrie Park. A cottage from Wilson's original homestead still remains at Ardstrath. Regional surveyor James Larmer retired to Braidwood and constructed a hotel at the northern end of Wallace Street that is still standing. Within the town are several particularly attractive streetscapes, including the Wallace Street vista up Jew's Hill, the Wallace Street vistas north and south, some of the side streets, in particular those that retain soft edging to their roadside verge, period buildings and attractive landscaping. A number of streetscapes frame vistas to the pastoral landscape beyond and this combination of historic streetscape in the foreground with pastoral landscape in the distance, particularly where this transition is abrupt, has been recognised in earlier studies as having high aesthetic value. Aesthetic views of the town include: the approach from Canberra, where the town is framed by a row of Poplars; the view from Thomas Braidwood Wilson's grave; the approach to the town on the Mongarlowe Rd from approximately "Mona Homestead"; the view from the Araluen Rd as it approaches the town, and the view from Mt Gillamatong. Some individual buildings in the town have aesthetic value, and images from the town that draw on the aesthetic values have appeared in a number of books, and have been used as the backdrop to several films. The place is important in demonstrating