Anyone can nominate a place with heritage values for the National or Commonwealth Heritage Lists, providing they meet the criteria.
Nominations for the National Heritage List must set out the qualities or values of the place that make it of outstanding heritage value to the nation.
Nominations for the Commonwealth Heritage List must set out the qualities or values of the places that make it of significant heritage value to the nation.
Nominations for the National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heritage List closed on 9 February 2022.
National Heritage List
The Environment Minister must call for nominations to the National Heritage List annually.
The nomination and assessment process is open and consultative.
Places on the National Heritage List have heritage values that are of outstanding value to the nation. Once listed, the national heritage values of the place are protected by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Nominations must meet the National Heritage List criteria.
Call for nominations for the National Heritage List
Nominations for the National Heritage List 2022-23 closed on 9 February 2022.
Our National Heritage List recognises and protects places that reflect our unique landscapes, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and our development as a nation. Each year, more places are included on the list as our national story unfolds and understanding of our heritage deepens.
The National Heritage List currently includes 119 sites across Australia, such as Parkes Observatory in New South Wales, Erawondoo Hill in Western Australia and Quinkan Country in Queensland.
Commonwealth Heritage List
These are places of Indigenous, historic and natural heritage that are owned or controlled by the Australian Government.
The heritage values of sites on the Commonwealth Heritage List are protected under national environment law.
New nominations must meet the Commonwealth Heritage List criteria.
Call for nominations for the Commonwealth Heritage List
New nominations for the Commonwealth Heritage List are now open and will close on 9 February 2022.
Places on the Commonwealth Heritage List can be entirely within a Commonwealth area, or if outside of Australia, owned or leased by the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth agency.
There are currently 388 government-owned listed sites from across Australia, its territories and overseas.
The nomination process step-by-step
1. Check if the place is already listed
Is the place that you are planning to nominate already on a heritage list?
2. Download a nomination form
If you wish to make a nomination please download the following forms. Nominations must be provided on the forms below:
National Heritage Listing Nomination Form (PDF - 344 KB)
National Heritage Listing Nomination Form (DOCX - 107 KB)
National Heritage Listing Nomination Guide (PDF - 312 KB)
National Heritage Listing Nomination Guide (DOCX - 88 KB)
Commonwealth Heritage Listing Nomination Form (PDF - 373 KB)
Commonwealth Heritage Listing Nomination Form (DOCX - 111 KB)
Commonwealth Heritage Listing Nomination Guide (PDF - 314 KB)
Commonwealth Heritage Listing Nomination Guide (DOCX - 84 KB)
If you are not able to download a nomination form, or require a hardcopy form please email heritage@awe.gov.au
3. Review what information you will need to provide in your nomination
Nominations must set out the qualities or values of the place that make it outstanding to the nation by indicating how the place meets one or more of the National Heritage Criteria or the Commonwealth Heritage Criteria.
For information on the high threshold for National Heritage listing, you may wish to consult a guide to heritage listing in Australia.
4. Submit the nomination form
Nominations can be submitted in electronic form or in writing.
Nominations must include all attachments along with a completed and signed nomination form.
Electronic nominations should be emailed to heritage@awe.gov.au (formerly heritage@environment.gov.au).
Hardcopy nominations can be mailed to:
The Nominations Manager
Heritage Branch
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
GPO Box 858
Canberra ACT 2601
5. What next?
Once your nomination is received, the delegate for the Minister decides whether your nomination complies with eligibility requirements under the EPBC Act and Regulation 10.01B of the EPBC Regulations.
Nominations that do not meet these requirements may be rejected.
Nominations will be given to the Australian Heritage Council (the Council) for consideration.
Once a year, the Council must prepare a priority assessment list (PFAL) for consideration by the Minister. This list, when approved by the Minister, sets the work program for the Council for the next 12 months. The final assessment list (FPAL) has been published. The Council will invite public comments on whether the places under assessment have heritage values for inclusion in the heritage list and whether they should be included in this list. The Council must consult owners and occupiers and Indigenous people with rights or interests in any place that it finds might have heritage values.
The Council then gives the Minister an assessment report on the place together with copies of all comments it has received from its statutory consultations.
The Minister must consider the assessment report and comments and decide whether to list or not to list the place. The nominator is advised of the decision and, if listed, the owners and occupiers of the place and Indigenous people with rights or interest in the place are advised.
Further information
- Free, Prior and Informed Consent in the work of the Australian Heritage Council
- The nomination, assessment, and decision processes for the National Heritage List
- The Commonwealth Heritage listing process
- Engage Early - Indigenous engagement guidelines
- Guidelines for the assessment of places for the National Heritage List