This drawing accords with descriptions of the stockade built at Cox's River near Hartley on the Great Western Road to house convicts involved in the construction of a road across the Blue Mountains to Bathurst: cf. James Kerr, "Out of Sight Out of Mind", S.H. Ervin Gallery 1988 p.29 Q725.60994/2 Mitchell Library; William Romaine Govett, "Sketches of New South Wales", Gaston Renard 1977, p.47-50 Q981/39 Mitchell Library.

The drawing has been in the past attributed to Major General James Pattison Cockburn. When offered at auction at Christie's London on 17 May 1974 lot 108 it was described as being by Cockburn. It was also said to be indistinctly inscribed but no trace of this is now visible (1992).

When offered at James R. Lawson's 5 March 1985 lot 145 it was described as "Australian colonial school" with an indistinct signature visible at lower left. At the Sotheby's auction of August 1992 it was "attributed to Major-General James Pattison Cockburn".

The drawing has also been attributed to Cockburn in Joan Kerr, "Dictionary of Australian artists 1770-1870", Oxford Uni. Press 1992. However there is no evidence Cockburn visited Australia: he was in Canada until 1837, but this drawing was made in the early 1830s.

Colour transparency digitised 1999.