The 'Long Paddock' as defined in the Macquarie Encyclopaedic Dictionary (1995: 552) is 'a stock route or open road, especially regarded as a place where people, too poor to own their own paddocks or pay for agistment, can graze their horses, cattle etc.'

The long paddock is also made use of during times of drought as stock owners seek feed for the animals that is not available in their own area.

The Cobb Highway is part of a very significant Travelling Stock Routes network that traverses New South Wales. The network covered an area, estimated in 1975, to be approximately 2.27 million ha or 2.83% of the State's land mass (Hibberd, J (ed)., Future of the Long Paddock, 1978)

The 'long paddock' is a well-known term to Australians who have a relationship with the pastoral industry or who have lived in rural Australia or who have seen drovers using the long paddock. With the decline of drovers and droving as part of rural activity, urban Australians and overseas people are probably not familiar with the term.

The marketing efforts associated with the project will in part, educate potential visitors in the meaning and significance of the term, 'the long paddock'.

The Cobb Highway has a long association with the history of the region. Its association with the themes for the project is seen as being a way to commemorate the history of the area and the significance of droving, pastoralism, transport and settlement of the region.

Aboriginal occupation of the region was strong along the major rivers being the Murray, Edward and Murrumbidgee. European exploration of the region commenced as early as 1817 with Oxley who was followed over the next 20 years by Sturt and Mitchell. The rivers and their adjacent grassland areas were seen as very suitable for grazing of livestock and vast tracts of land were taken up by squatters. Towns developed along the river systems and the route of the Cobb Highway came into being to link the towns of Hay, Deniliquin and Echuca and Wilcannia on the Darling to the north.

Movement of livestock along this route grew with the droving of animals sent to market, in particular, the Victorian goldfields during the 1850's and 1860's. The route was a major part of a larger stock route network through to Queensland, which was used to move livestock between properties, especially in times of drought. Wool was transported to ports along the river systems before being sent by rail to the coast for export by sea.

As towns developed the need for transport grew and Cobb and Co became a significant influence over the development and life of the region linking towns through its coach services. In short the Cobb Highway route has strong historical links and stories to be told.

The project is expected to be developed progressively over several years and to link with heritage, artistic and natural attractions along its length.

The evolving nature of the project's interpretive installations, will make it a dynamic project. The environment along the Cobb Highway is always changing with the movement of stock and the unpredictable seasons giving rise to the different types of vegetation and wildlife. The continued use of the Travelling Stock Route is in itself an attraction to many and others just the course of normal everyday rural life.