Heritage laws and notices

Australia has numerous ways of identifying and protecting important heritage places. Decisions about managing heritage places are carried out under laws at all levels of government. The Department of the Environment is an Australian Government department and is responsible for administering the key national heritage law the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

• Find out more about the EPBC Act

Other Acts relevant to Heritage that this Department administers include:

• Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984
• Australian Heritage Council Act 2003
• Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018

• Find out more about National Heritage laws
• Find out more about Commonwealth Heritage laws

Heritage public notices

Public notices under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation 1999 (EPBC) Act:

• Heritage public notices database

Nominations

• Nominating a heritage place

Download

• Guidelines for the assessment of places for the National Heritage List
• Identifying Commonwealth Heritage Values and Establishing a Heritage Register

Finalised Priority Assessment Lists

• Finalised Priority Assessment Lists for the Commonwealth Heritage List
• Finalised Priority Assessment Lists for the National Heritage List