About Heritage at DPCD

About us
What we do
Organisational structure
Access to Heritage Victoria Files and Privacy

Heritage Victoria is the Victorian State Government’s principal cultural (non-Indigenous) heritage agency.

Heritage Victoria supports the work of the Heritage Council of Victoria, although the two are quite separate entities.

Heritage Victoria is a Victorian State Government agency and is part of the Department of Planning and Community Development, whereas the Heritage Council is an independent statutory authority established under the Heritage Act.

What we do

Heritage Victoria identifies, protects and interprets Victoria's most significant cultural heritage resources. It advises private owners, local and State government, industry and the general community on heritage matters. Heritage Victoria's aim is to make heritage identification, protection and management accessible and easily understood.

Heritage Victoria administers the Heritage Act 1995 and maintains the Victorian Heritage Register.

Heritage Victoria is the agency which:

• recommends places and objects for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register as part of the assessment and registration processes
• issues permits to alter or make other changes to heritage places and objects
• provides funding assistance for heritage projects
• manages historic shipwrecks and relics
• is responsible for protecting Victoria’s archaeological heritage
• promotes community understanding of the Heritage Act
• provides educational services, resources and support for heritage related projects
• conserves significant artefacts and objects

Access to Heritage Victoria Files and Privacy

All files held by Heritage Victoria, like all those of the Department of Planning and Community Development, are treated as confidential and access to them is not provided to property owners, heritage consultants, members of the public or other third parties.

Heritage Victoria is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals’ personal and health information according to the principles set out in the Victorian Information Privacy Act 2000 and the Health Records Act 2001.

We will only use or disclose personal information when it is:

• for the purpose for which it was collected;  
• for a related purpose that the person would reasonably expect;  
• with the consent of the person; or
• for uses authorised by the law.

Notwithstanding the above, please note that information provided to enable the administration of the Heritage Act 1995 may be disclosed to persons with an interest in the heritage place or object particularly, and information provided as part of a permit application may be made available on-line where the application has been publicly advertised under section 68 of the Heritage Act.

Enquiries about access to information held by the Department should be directed to the Privacy Officer, Department of Planning and Community Development, PO Box 2392, Melbourne, VIC 3001.

Research

The Victorian Heritage Database provides a wealth of information and images about thousands of heritage places and objects. 

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) has classified more than 8,000 heritage places and these are searchable online.   

Your local council may also have an on-line database of heritage places in their municipality. Historical information about heritage places and objects may also exist at one or more of the following sources:

Public Records Office of Victoria (PROV) Tel: (03) 9348 5600

State Library of Victoria Tel: (03) 8664 7000

Royal Historical Society of Victoria Tel: (03) 9326 9288

Victorian Government Library Services Tel: (03) 9655 8600

National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Tel: (03) 9656 9800

Local Historical Societies and History Centres

City Council and Shire records

The National Trust and members of the Professional Historians Association (Victoria) (tel: 03 9348 9188) offer commercial historical research services.

Guidance on undertaking research on heritage places is provided in The National Trust Research Manual: 'Trace the History of Your House or Other Places' (edited by Dr Celestina Sagazio, National Trust of Australia (Victoria), 2004) and 'Straight to the Source. A Guide to Sources for Victorian History' (Monash Public History Group, Monash Publications in History, 1995).

Freedom of Information

If you still require access to information that you believe may be held by Heritage Victoria you will need to make a formal request under the Victorian Freedom of Information Act 1982.  A Freedom of Information (FOI) request can be made in writing with the FOI application fee of $24.40 to the Freedom of Information Manager, Department of Planning and Community Development, PO Box 2392, Melbourne, VIC 3001. Further guidance and a FOI request form can be found at the Freedom of Information website.