Many government and private sector organisations are involved in protecting heritage places.
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
The department develops and implements policies and programs to help identify, conserve and promote appreciation of Australia's natural and cultural heritage places and objects.
The Australian Heritage Council
The Australian Heritage Council is the Government's independent expert advisory body on heritage matters.
The Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee
The Australian World Heritage Advisory Committee has been established to provide advice to Commonwealth and State/Territory Ministers on issues of a cross-cutting nature that affect Australia's World Heritage sites.
State and Territory Heritage Organisations
Each Australian State and Territory has both government and non-government organisations involved in protecting heritage places:
Government Organisations
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Heritage NSW work with the community to care for and protect NSW’s environment and heritage, which includes the natural environment, Aboriginal country, culture and heritage, and built heritage. Heritage NSW supports the community, business and government in protecting, strengthening and making the most of a healthy environment and economy in NSW.
Heritage NSW also provides services and other support to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, NSW Environmental Trust, Western Sydney Parkland Trust, Parramatta Park Trust, Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, Historic Houses Trust, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust, and the Environment Protection Authority.
Website: Heritage NSW
Heritage Council of NSW
The Heritage Council of NSW is an advisory body that includes members of the community, the government, the conservation profession and representatives of organisations such as the National Trust of Australia (NSW).
Website: Heritage Council of NSW
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is part of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, and works with people and communities to protect and conserve natural and cultural heritage, through an integrated system of ecologically sustainable landscape management. The state's network of protected areas is the centrepiece of this system.
Website: NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
Sydney Living Museums
Sydney Living Museums (Formerly The Historic Houses Trust) manages 12 diverse sites and properties including houses, public buildings, a farm, gardens, parklands and urban spaces. Sydney Living Museums hold extensive collections in each of its properties and conduct a dynamic range of programs and activities attracting over two million visitors to its houses and museums each year.
Website: Sydney Living Museums
Aboriginal Affairs NSW
Aboriginal Affairs NSW works with Aboriginal communities across NSW to increase their confidence, capacity and opportunity to determine their own future. The Office provides strategic policy advice and advocacy for the Aboriginal people of NSW. Aboriginal Affairs NSW supports Aboriginal communities to leverage and enhance their leadership capacity, assets and resources, cultural and knowledge to create opportunity, healing, responsibility and empowerment for themselves.
Website: Aboriginal Affairs NSW
The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
The NSW Environment Protection Authority:
- works towards improved environmental performance and waste management for NSW
- provides information and guidance on a broad range of environmental issues
- engages with the NSW community and uses social research to inform their priorities, policies and programs
- publish scientific research and monitor trends in the state of the environment
- offers advice and incentives to help business improve environmental performance
Website: NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
Non-government organisations
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
The National Trust (NSW) is a charity that works with the community to safeguard our rich natural, built and cultural heritage.
Website: National Trust (NSW)
Nature Conservation Council of NSW
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) is the peak umbrella organisation for over 150 conservation and environment groups in New South Wales, Australia.
Website: Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Government organisations
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning leads the Victorian Government's efforts in Heritage, Wildlife and Environment, Biodiversity, water, planning and use and conservation of Parks, forests and Crown land.
Website: Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
Heritage Victoria
Heritage Victoria is the Victorian State Government's principal cultural (non-Indigenous) heritage agency and is part of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Heritage Victoria administers the Heritage Act 1995 and maintains the Victorian Heritage Register.
Website: Heritage Victoria
Heritage Council of Victoria
The Heritage Council of Victoria is an independent statutory authority and is the State's main decision-making body on historic (non-Indigenous) cultural heritage issues
Website: Heritage Council of Victoria
Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council was created in May 2007 as part of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. It is an independent statutory authority and is the State’s main decision-making body on Indigenous cultural heritage issues.
The Council’s membership consists of 11 Traditional Owners, chosen by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. All members live in Victoria and have knowledge of Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.
Website: Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council
Parks Victoria
Parks Victoria is the custodian of a diverse estate of significant parks in Victoria and of the recreational management of Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers.
Website: Parks Victoria
Department of Premier and Cabinet – Office of Aboriginal Victoria
The Office of Aboriginal Victoria is the Victorian Government's central point of advice on all aspects of Aboriginal affairs. The Office works in partnership with Aboriginal communities and government departments and agencies to promote knowledge, leadership and understanding about Victoria’s Aboriginal peoples. It also manages and promotes an understanding of Victoria’s rich Aboriginal cultural heritage. The Office of Aboriginal Victoria administers state legislation that protects Aboriginal cultural heritage, and administers programs for management of Aboriginal cultural heritage in Victoria.
Website: Aboriginal Victoria
Non-government organisations
National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
The National Trust (VIC) is an independent non-profit organisation, supported by a large community base that actively conserves and protects our heritage for future generations to enjoy.
Website: National Trust (Victoria)
Environment Victoria
Environment Victoria is the peak non-government, not-for-profit environment organisation in Victoria. Its vision is of a sustainable and healthy environment for all Victorians, and it works with groups, governments, businesses and communities to meet environmental challenges.
Website: Environment Victoria
Government organisations
Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
The Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships (DATSIP) provides whole-of-government leadership in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, coordination and monitoring, and the delivery of services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders.
Website: Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
Department of Environment and Science
The Department of Environment and Science is responsible for protection of Queensland’s natural environment, and for identifying and conserving the state built heritage places. It also administers a range of environmental regulations and laws and ensures compliance with them.
Website: Department of Environment and Science
Queensland Heritage Council
The Queensland Heritage Council is an independent statutory authority established under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992 and is Queensland's peak heritage body. Its members work to protect and conserve the state's living history. The Council provides advice to the Environment Minister.
Website: Queensland Heritage Council
Non-government organisations
National Trust of Queensland
The National Trust of Queensland is a community organisation which works to identify and conserve Queensland's heritage.
Website: National Trust (Queensland)
Government organisations
Department for Environment and Water
The Department for Environment and Water and the South Australian Heritage Council are responsible for protecting and conserving built, maritime and intangible heritage, and non-Aboriginal cultural heritage of significance to South Australia, under the following legislation: Heritage Places Act 1993; Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981 (State) and the Underwater Cultural Heritage Act 2018 (Commonwealth).
Website: Department for Environment and Water
South Australian Heritage Council
The South Australian Heritage Council provides strategic advice to the Minister for Environment and Water on heritage issues. It also administers the South Australian Heritage Register, including the entry and removal of State Heritage Places.
Website: South Australian Heritage Council
Department of the Premier and Cabinet - Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division
The Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet is the South Australian Government’s lead agency on Aboriginal affairs matters, and manages Aboriginal heritage in South Australia under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988.
Website: Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation
National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia
National Parks and Wildlife South Australia manages more than 300 parks and reserves. There are a great variety of places of heritage significance within South Australia's parks system, ranging from residences to lighthouses, whaling sites, graves, a fort and a kiosk.
Website: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia
History Trust of South Australia
The History Trust manages the Migration Museum, South Australian Maritime Museum & National Motor Museum and encourages the community to enjoy, understand, preserve and benefit from South Australia's rich and distinctive history.
Website: History Trust of South Australia
Non-government organisations
National Trust of South Australia
The National Trust in South Australia has active programs in three areas:
- Managing heritage buildings and nature reserves including over sixty museums and folk history collections.
- Devising and disseminating policies on a range of heritage issues and lobbying for improved protection of our heritage.
- Providing awareness raising programs in the broader community on cultural and natural heritage matters.
Website: National Trust (South Australia)
Government organisations
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, which includes the WA Parks and Wildlife Service, has the lead responsibility for protecting and conserving the State's environment on behalf of the people of Western Australia. This includes managing the State's national parks, marine parks, conservation parks, nature reserves, marine nature reserves and marine management areas.
Website: Parks and Wildlife Service
Heritage Council of Western Australia
The Heritage Council of Western Australia is the State's advisory body on historical heritage matters and focuses on places, buildings and sites. It was set up under the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990.
The Heritage Council's mission is to provide for and encourage the conservation of historical places which have significance to the cultural heritage of Western Australia.
Website: Heritage Council of Western Australia
Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee (Western Australia)
The Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee (ACMC) of Western Australia is the State’s representative body for Aboriginal people and the advisory committee for the Western Australian Government on heritage matters. It was set up under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. The ACMC evaluates on the behalf of the community the importance of places and objects associated with Aboriginal persons and where appropriate, records and preserves the traditional Aboriginal lore related to such places and objects.
Website: Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee ACMC
Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is responsible for protecting Aboriginal heritage, assisting with compliance with the Aboriginal Heritage act 1972 and providing access to heritage information. The Department is also responsible for historical heritage matters.
Website: Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
Non-government organisations
National Trust of Australia (Western Australia)
The National Trust of Australia (Western Australia) is the pre-eminent community-based heritage organisation in Western Australia. Established through an act of parliament in 1959, and with a large and active membership, the National Trust plays a pivotal role in heritage education and advocacy as well as the management of heritage sites throughout WA.
Website: National Trust (Western Australia)
Government organisations
Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment
The Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment is responsible for the sustainable management and promotion of the State's unique natural, Aboriginal, historic and cultural heritage assets.
Website: Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
Heritage Tasmania
As part of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment, Heritage Tasmania works to protect, conserve and promote Tasmania's unique historic heritage assets, and does so in conjunction with the Heritage Council, the Tasmanian heritage sector and other areas of Government.
Website: Heritage Tasmania
Tasmanian Heritage Council
The Heritage Council is a statutory body separate to government responsible for the administration of the Act and the establishment of the Tasmanian Heritage Register. Its primary task is as a resource management and planning body, focused on heritage conservation issues.
Website: Tasmanian Heritage Council
Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service
The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible for the management of Tasmania's parks, reserves and historic sites as well as the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. In total that represents 432 reserves covering 2.74 million hectares, or about 40 per cent of the State.
Website: Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service
Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania
Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania is a division of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. It serves a broad regulatory and land management role for Aboriginal heritage places, landscapes and values and maintains a permanent record of identified Aboriginal heritage places as a vehicle for management, research, public interests and accountability, including maintenance of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Site Index.
Website: Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania
Non-government organisations
National Trust of Australia (Tasmania)
The National Trust Tasmania is a non-government member based community organisation which works to identify and conserve Tasmania's heritage for present and future generations to enjoy.
Website: National Trust (Tasmania)
Government organisations
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is responsible for the Northern Territory’s land and water resources, pastoral land, natural resources, bushfires, weeds, feral animals, rangeland management and biodiversity conservation. The Agency works in partnership with the Northern Territory community to ensure the Territory’s natural and cultural heritage, and its values, are protected. The Agency also works in collaboration with stakeholders in such areas as sport and recreation, environment protection, natural resources, wildlife management, arts, film and museum, the national parks estate, and tourism to achieve this protection.
Website: Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Northern Territory Heritage Council
The Northern Territory Heritage Council is responsible for a number of functions including advising the Minister on matters affecting the natural and cultural heritage of the Territory. The Heritage Council is supported by the Heritage Branch, Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment. The Heritage Branch can be contacted on (08) 8999 5039.
Website: Northern Territory Heritage Council
Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory
The Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory is responsible for managing a comprehensive system of land and marine protected areas across the Northern Territory, managing over 90 parks and reserves for conservation, and nature based recreation and tourism. 32 of the over 90 parks and reserves are jointly managed in partnership with Aboriginal people.
Website: Parks and Wildlife
Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, NT
The Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority Administers the Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989, with the aim to protect and prevent desecration of sacred sites in the Northern Territory.
Website: Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, NT
Non-government organisations
The Environment Centre, Northern Territory
The Environment Centre Northern Territory was established in 1983 and is the peak non-government environment group in the Territory. The Environment Centre works in a range of areas including to:
- promote environmental awareness
- involve the public in conservation issues
- provide information via its library and files
- lobby government and industry.
Website: The Environment Centre, Northern Territory
National Trust of Australia (Northern Territory)
The National Trust of Australia (Northern Territory) is a community-based organisation with a charter to promote the preservation and awareness of the heritage of the Northern Territory.
Website: National Trust (Northern Territory)
Government organisations
City Services Directorate
The City Services Directorate plans, develops and delivers a range of state municipal services for the people of the ACT. It plays a key role in building Canberra's environmental, social, cultural and economic capital.
The Directorate is also responsible for planning and management of parks and reserves in the ACT. It protects and conserves the natural resources of the ACT, promotes appropriate recreational, educational and scientific uses of our parks and reserves, and maintains the look of the city and its environs.
Website: City Services Directorate
ACT Heritage
ACT Heritage is part of the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, and assists in the conservation of the ACT's heritage assets to ensure their identification, preservation, protection, maintenance and enhancement (where appropriate) for present and future generations.
Website: ACT Heritage
ACT Heritage Council
The Heritage Act 2004 established the ACT Heritage Council as the ACT Government's key advisory body on heritage issues.
Website: ACT Heritage Council
Non-government organisations
National Trust of Australia (ACT)
The National Trust of Australia (ACT) aims to foster public knowledge about and conserve places and objects that are significant to our heritage.
Website: National Trust of Australia (ACT)
Heritage Chairs and Officials of Australia and New Zealand
The role of the Heritage Chairs and Officials of Australia and New Zealand is to provide national leadership and raise the profile of historic heritage.
Heritage experts and resources
Heritage consultants can help you to identify or manage a heritage place. Find out about historians, archaeologists, landscape architects, environmental managers, engineers, planners, and more.