Heritage register WA

The National Trust’s List of Classified Places does not have a statutory role; its purpose is educational in that it supports our advocacy activities, the establishment of Heritage Appeals (tax deductible accounts for conservation works) as well as being an important record of Western Australia’s heritage.

The National Trust has been assessing and Classifying places since the late 1960s and the List includes buildings, precincts, cemeteries, natural landscapes, geological monuments, historic sites, railway vehicles and other items for their heritage significance. There are currently over 1700 Classified items on the list and it is continually growing.

The National Trust’s ‘Classification Standing Committee’ (the CSC) works to identify and assess places and objects of cultural heritage significance. Members of the public may nominate places for assessment by the CSC. Places are considered Classified when approved by the Council of the National Trust on recommendation by the CSC, and entered onto our List of Classified Places.

 

The National Trust’s List of Classified Places provides a record of places with heritage value in WA. Classification has no legal status and does not impinge on rights of ownership in any way nor does it imply a right of access by the public.

As a community based heritage organisation the National Trust is unable to contribute funds to the conservation of Classified places. However funds may be available from other bodies, such as Lotterywest. If your property is also recognized by the Local Government Authority or the Heritage Council’s State Register of Heritage Places, other financial and/or non-financial incentives may be available. Contact the Trust or your Local Government for further information.

 

Heritage Council of Western Australia and the State Heritage Office

The Heritage Council of Western Australia provides legal protection to places that have been assessed as being important to the State of Western Australia. The Heritage Council which is supported by the State Heritage Office does this by maintaining the State Register of Heritage Places established under the Heritage of Western Australia Act 1990. The register includes buildings, structures, gardens, cemeteries, landscapes, archaeological sites and more. If a place is included in the State Register of Heritage Places, any changes or works that may affect the significance of that place are required to be referred to the Heritage Council for advice.

The State Heritage Office administers Inherit, an online database of places which have been identified at a local and state level for their heritage significance. Other information including whether a place has been Classified by the National Trust is also available.

Search Inherit

 

Local Governments

Local governments are required to maintain a Municipal Heritage Inventory (MHI); this register identifies places of heritage significance within their local government boundary. Places added to the MHI are normally assigned a level or category of significance with those places at a higher level being subject to planning controls regarding development including demolition. For further information regarding the Municipal Heritage Inventory and development controls; please contact your relevant local government authority directly.

Department of Indigenous Affairs

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs administers the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. This Act automatically applies to places and objects which are important to Aboriginal culture in Western Australia. The department also maintains the Register of Aboriginal Sites. The Act makes it an offence to damage an Aboriginal place or object without approval whether it is on the register or not.

Visit DAA website

Department of Environment Regulation

The Department of Environment Regulation is responsible for the protection of Western Australia’s natural environment, in particular, ‘works approvals and licensing, compliance and response, enforcement and other major environmental initiatives’.

Visit the DER website

Department of Parks and Wildlife

The Department of Parks and Wildlife protects and conserves the State’s natural environment and is responsible for managing the State’s national parks, marine parks, conservation parks, and State Forests.

Visit the DPW website 

Contact our Heritage Services Department

trust@ntwa.com.au

(08) 9321 6088