Legislation
Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990
Heritage Council
The Heritage Council of Western Australia is the government advisory
body on heritage matters. Council identifies, provides for and
encourages the conservation of places that have cultural heritage
significance by providing advice to the public and Minister for
the Environment and Heritage, and establishing and maintaining
the Register of Heritage Places. Where there is an objection to
entry of a place in the Register, the matter is referred to the
Minister for a decision.
Register
The Register of Heritage Places is a statutory list of places,
buildings, archaeological sites, historic gardens, landscape features
and historic cemeteries within Western Australia that have been
assessed by the Heritage Council and are considered to have cultural
heritage significance. Information on places in the Register and
other places of significance, including places listed in local
government heritage inventories and other non-statutory lists,
can be accessed from the Heritage Council’s website.
What is included on the Register
Places include building and other structures, historic gardens,
archaeological sites, landscape features and historic cemeteries.(1)
To locate items on the register, use the Heritage Council home page http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au/ then click on Place register or go to http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/quicksearch.html.
Criteria for inclusion on the register
Responsibilities
The Heritage Council has nine members, and is supported by the
Director and office staff. It maintains the Register, administers
the Heritage Grants Program, assists with the identification of
places, assesses referrals for inclusion on the Register, provides
advice on the development of heritage places, and advises the
Minister for the Environment and Heritage. The Heritage Council
office also provides information to the public and prepares and
delivers an education program.(3)
The Heritage Council provides a Regional Heritage Advisory Service to assist owners and local governments in the conservation of heritage listed places in regional areas. Regional Heritage Advisers can also provide advice on the proposed development of non-registered places.
Government heritage grant programs
From May 2002, the Heritage Grants Program funding will assist
with conservation works to privately owned places already listed
in the State Register of Heritage Places, and Conservation Plans
for places in, or eligible for entry in the Register.
The Lotteries Commission of Western Australia may provide grants to not-for-profit community groups based in Western Australia and providing charitable or benevolent benefit to the Western Australian community. Grants may include Cultural Heritage - Conservation grants, which assist communities in understanding their cultural heritage. Projects should demonstrate how they enhance community identity and a sense of place. For information on Lotteries Commission grants, including Cultural Heritage - Conservation grants, visit http://www.lottery.wa.gov.au/corporate/ and click on the Grants Guide banner. The contact address is PO Box 1113 Osborne Park, WA, 6917 and phone number is (08) 9340 5270.(4)
Web page(s) and state government
agency address
http://www.heritage.gov.au/index-wa.html
lists state government heritage agencies, database, legislation
and non-statutory heritage sites with links to them.
http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au
is the Heritage Council’s home page. Click on the links to
the right of the logo, then the Submenu tabs for further information.
http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au/assistance/grants.html
provides grant information.
http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/list.html
explains about the register, nominations and assessment process
and Municipal Inventories.
For more information write to Heritage Council of Western Australia, PO Box 6201, East Perth WA 6892 or ring either (08) 9221 4177 or 1800 644 177.
Other statutory listings
Municipal Inventories are local council listings of
buildings of heritage importance to the community. While local
councils are required to prepare such a list, there are no statutory
implications other than a requirement for the list to be sent
to the Heritage Council for public information. Although the decision
to enter a place into the Municipal Inventory rests with the local
government authority, a prime objective of the process is to have
the list prepared with public consultation and to achieve community
consensus on the result.(5)
Places on the municipal inventory may be selected for inclusion
in the town-planning scheme and may be eligible for entry in the
Register of Heritage Places.
The Department of Indigenous Affairs maintains a Register on some 15,000 Aboriginal sites throughout Western Australia and aims to protect and maintain Aboriginal heritage and culture. Go to http://www.aad.wa.gov.au/ and click on Aboriginal heritage for further information and links.
Non-statutory registers
National Trust of
Australia (WA) maintains a listing of places of historic,
natural and Aboriginal significance. You can find the Trust web
page at http://www.ntwa.com.au/.
For more information write to PO Box 1162, West Perth WA 6872,
ring (08) 9321 6088 or (08) 9266 3831 or send an e-mail to trust@ntwa.com.au.
Other agencies and grants
Check with your local government authority for community grants,
other relevant funding and what helpful publications they might
have.
1 http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au
2 http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/list.html
3 http://www.heritage.wa.gov.au/history.html
4 Lotteries Commission
of Western Australia
5 http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/list.html
Municipal inventories.