The range and extent of the public's interest in Newcastle Customs House is likely to increase with better public education about the value of historic buildings as repositories of information about past design and construction practices. The buildings and grounds have special cultural, social, aesthetic and educational values by virtue of links with present and past individuals, the community and the potential for research and education. The Customs House has been a prominent feature of the landscape of the Newcastle foreshore for more that 130 years. It provides tangible evidence of a process and function i.e. the administration of Customs and Excise. Areas in the building such as the Long Room are unique to the operation of Customs authorities. The buildings and grounds have special cultural, social, aesthetic and educational values by virtue of links with present and past individuals, the community and the potential for research and education. The Customs House has been a prominent feature of the landscape of the Newcastle foreshore for more that 130 years. It provides tangible evidence of a process and function Le the administration of Customs and Excise. Areas in the building such as the Long Room are unique to the operation of Customs authorities. Newcastle Customs House provides a permanent link with the past and is significant to the past and present community's sense of place. The place has potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. The site retains very little above ground to illustrate the phases of development except for the Customs House building and the stone fence posts and reconstructed palisade fence. The archaeological potential of the site is high. There is a strong probability that traces of the convict stockade extend below the surface into the western section of the site. Substantial archaeological evidence relating to the first and later W.C.s as well as other outbuildings is likely to be located in the central car park area. The time ball and clock exhibit technical achievements of the late 19th century. The Time Ball has very strong associational value through its important function as an essential device for accurate navigation. The time ball is one of the three examples of this rare type of late nineteenth century technology in Australia remaining almost intact. The place possesses uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of the cultural or natural history of New South Wales. Newcastle Customs House is a rare example of a 19th-century building which has many of the original 1877 features and early 1899 features intact. It is a rare example of a government complex designed by the Colonial Architect, James Barnet and additions administered by the Government Architect W L Vernon.