Community Heritage Register: A Resource Guide

The Community Heritage Register is an important component of a local government’s heritage program, as it is a recognized method to identify, acknowledge and record local heritage.

By establishing and maintaining a list of heritage buildings, sites and structures, the Community Heritage Register process helps the local government to understand and identify the heritage significance and value of its community.

The Community Heritage Register is one of several heritage conservation tools found in the Local Government Act. While the legislation provides local governments with the authority to adopt a Community Heritage Register, the Act does not detail the formation and function of the register.

The goal of this guide is to support the establishment and ongoing development of the Community Heritage Register through research, guidelines, and standards, and to address the challenges of interpretation and implementation. By understanding best practices and lessons-learned, a consistent interpretation and implementation of the Community Heritage Register can be successfully adopted by all local governments and regional districts.