Protecting our built heritage

All municipalities contain heritage places. Local councils have a role to play in identifying and protecting places of heritage significance.

Most local heritage places are identified through a municipal heritage study, carried out by an experienced heritage consultant.

A ‘heritage place’ can be a site, area, land, landscape, building(s) or other work, memorials, trees, gardens, parks, places of historical events, urban areas, towns, industrial places, archaeological sites and spiritual and religious places.

‘Cultural heritage significance’ means a place with aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past, present or future generations.

In the Indigo Planning Scheme, local heritage places are protected through the Heritage Overlay, which requires a planning permit to alter a heritage place.  

Indigo Shire’s Heritage Overlay contains more than 800 sites and precincts and has been informed by several heritage studies.

In August 1979, the Burra Charter was adopted by the Australian National Committee of International Committee of Monuments and Sites. This charter provides guidance for the identification, conservation and management of places with cultural heritage significance.