Heritage Division

The Heritage Division develops policies and programs for the identification, conservation and public understanding and appreciation of Australia's natural and cultural heritage places.

We have responsibilities for Australian heritage and World Heritage. We provide advice to the Minister of the Environment, Heritage and the Arts to assist in the identification and conservation of heritage places and encourage the community to participate in heritage activities. The Division's responsibilities include:

advising on the assessment and management of places with Indigenous, natural or historic values under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
managing the Commonwealth's obligations under the World Heritage Convention
administering the laws for Historic Shipwrecks, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection, and the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage.

Partner organisations

We work in partnership with other organisations, including State governments and communities, to identify and assess places for possible inclusion on the World Heritage List and providing advice on nominations to the National Heritage List and Commonwealth Heritage List.

Grants programs

The Division also manages the Australian Government's grants programs for heritage places and cooperates with State and Territory governments in providing Commonwealth funds to protect and manage World Heritage properties.

Structure

There are three branches within the Heritage Division:

Heritage Assessment Branch

This branch's work includes:

Identifying World, National and Commonwealth heritage places
Movable cultural heritage (Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986)
Historic Shipwrecks (Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976)
Administering the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984
Administering the Australian Heritage Council Act 2003

Heritage Management Branch

This branch's work includes:

Providing management advice on World, National and Commonwealth heritage places
Administering the Indigenous Heritage Program

Heritage Strategy Branch

This Branch's work includes:

Managing inventories including the Australian Heritage Database which includes the Register of the National Estate
Heritage Grants programs and funding
Strategic, technical and policy advice
International cooperation, including the Asia Pacific Focal Point
Membership of the World Heritage Committee
Heritage legislation
Australian Heritage Council Secretariat
Assistance to Papua New Guinea for the protection of the Kokoda Track

Australian Heritage Council

The Australian Heritage Council is a statutory body that is the Australian Government's principal adviser on heritage matters. The Australian Heritage Council is supported by the Heritage Division.