Heritage protections in Victoria

In light of an ongoing housing shortage and changes to planning and development regulations, protecting Victoria’s built and cultural heritage remains relevant to a range of conversations and debates facing the state.

This research paper provides an overview of the system of laws, regulations and bodies designed to protect Victoria’s historic buildings, landscapes, and culturally significant places. Maps of local government areas showing the concentration of heritage overlays within each LGA are also included.

Together with a summary of the key issues and debates, the paper also explains how Victoria’s heritage protection laws have developed over time, particularly the progress of protections of Aboriginal heritage in legislation, and the evolution of concepts like cultural heritage and intangible heritage.

The paper also looks to recent debates that have centred on heritage, including the importance of the social heritage of sites like pubs and music venues and the capacity of local governments in protecting heritage whilst ensuring adequate development of their jurisdiction.

These debates and the novel LGA maps can inform ongoing discussions around the role of heritage protections in Victoria’s housing crisis and the government’s housing targets, particularly in urban areas identified for a concentration of development.