Heritage Act 2017
Learn how the Act protects Victoria's cultural heritage.
- Regulatory guidance
Purpose
Heritage Act 2017 aims to protect and conserve Victoria’s cultural heritage. It replaced the Heritage Act 1995 and earlier acts.
Under the Act, cultural heritage means places and objects of:
cultural heritage significance
state-level cultural heritage significance.
A place or object has cultural heritage significance if it has aesthetic, archaeological, architectural, cultural, historical, scientific or social value.
The Act does not include places or objects associated solely with Aboriginal tradition. These places are protected by the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006.
Heritage protected by the Heritage Act 2017
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Key changes to the Act in 2024
Changes to the Act were introduced from 1 February 2024. These changes relate to:
online access to hearings and documents
exclusion determination reviews
general amendments to statutory processes.
Our role under the Act
The Heritage Council of Victoria was established as an independent body under the Heritage Act 2017 to make state-level heritage decisions in Victoria.
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Criteria for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register
Read the Victorian Heritage Register criteria and threshold guidelines to understand how to assess heritage places and objects.
- Regulatory guidance
Victorian Heritage Register
Discover Victoria's cultural heritage in the Victorian Heritage Register. Search more than 3,000 places and objects of cultural significance to our state.
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