William Cox built the first road over the Blue Mountains in 1814-1815, allowing European settlement to expand beyond the Sydney region. The bicentenary of this event occurred in 2014-2015.
The William Cox Fellowship kept descendants informed about the celebrations and ways in which they could participate
For more information about William Cox you can visit these websites:
Edna Hickson, 'William Cox', Australian Dictionary of Biography
Thelma Birrell's website on the Cox family
Roads and Maritime Services pamphlet on Cox's Road
William Cox married Rebecca Upjohn in 1789 and she died in 1819. He then married Anna Blachford in 1821. This website lists the grandchildren of both these marriages as well as highlighting some famous Cox descendants.
IMPORTANT NOTE: A post in August 2017 by ABC Indigenous affairs editor Stan Grant repeated unfounded allegations about William Cox advocating the extermination of Aborigines, which Grant has since withdrawn. Click here for a full explanation of the allegation and why it is untrue.