well as early 19th to early 20th century vernacular construction techniques generally. The cedar door architrave with thistle motif is a detail distinctive to Arnprior, and provides physical evidence of the importance to the Ryrie family to demonstrate their ancestry at their new home at Arnprior. The place has strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group in New South Wales for social, cultural or spiritual reasons. The social significance of Arnprior has not been formally assessed through community consultation. However, it is likely that the property would retain significance to the Ryrie family, a family of note in the history of NSW, as the first family property in Southern NSW, as well as the local historical society and potentially people throughout the State with an interest in early colonial architecture and settlement patterns. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Arnprior has potential State heritage significance under this criterion. Archaeological evidence associated with early colonial occupation of NSW is becoming increasingly rare. In particular, little archaeological work has been undertaken into the system of convict housing and work in rural areas, outside the confines of established secondary prisons, asylums and concentrated convict settlements in townships such as Parramatta and Port Macquarie. Arnprior has the potential to reveal information about the lives and works of assigned convicts that is not available in written records. The main homestead building also has considerable research potential. Little has been found in historic records about the original construction or the numerous changes made to the building throughout its life. Layers of fabric associated with these changes are likely to remain and add to our knowledge of the various stages of development at the property and early nineteenth century building techniques. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Arnprior has State heritage significance under this criterion. Arnprior contains a range of architectural and archaeological evidence from the earliest days of European settlement in southern NSW. Although there are a number of early homesteads remaining in the southern tablelands, Arnprior is particularly early and retains an unusual range of evidence including the remains of the village of Larbert, church and cemetery, and potentially convict housing associated with Arnprior itself. The place is important in demonstrating the