Heritage Victoria (HV) is the government body responsible for the regulation and enforcement of the Heritage Act 2017. Heritage Victoria is positioned within the Victorian state government’s Department of Transport and Planning (DTP). The DTP website notes the following functions which Heritage Victoria undertakes: “Heritage Victoria is responsible for the most important historic heritage sites in Victoria. This includes state significant heritage places, which are included in the Victorian Heritage Register, historical archaeological sites, and shipwrecks. Heritage Victoria regulates the Heritage Act 2017.”
HV functions include:
- Making recommendations about what to include in the Victorian Heritage Register
- Making decisions about changes to places on the Register
- Making recommendations about what to include in the Victorian Heritage Inventory
- Making decisions about changes to places on the Inventory
- Making decisions about access to shipwrecks
- Enforcing the Heritage Act.
- Distributing grants for eligible places on the register.
Heritage Victoria also makes decisions about changes to World Heritage and National Heritage listed properties in Victoria.
Heritage Victoria’s online library offers a range of online resources and policy guidelines. For example, HV’s ‘Guidelines for conducting historical archaeological surveys’. They also provide a page with specific resources for archaeologists (including information on submitting and requesting site cards and reports).
Heritage Council of Victoria
The Heritage Council of Victoria is an independent statutory authority, established as part of the Heritage Act. Some of the primary roles of the Heritage Council of Victoria include:
- Anyone can nominate a heritage place or heritage object for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register.
- The Heritage Council of Victoria reviews and evaluates nominations to the Victorian Heritage Register
Criteria for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register: https://heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/heritage-protection/criteria-and- thresholds-for-inclusion/
Nominate a heritage place or object for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register https://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/protecting-our-heritage/nominate-a-place-or-object
Key heritage legislation in Victoria: