We would like to hear your thoughts on a new draft heritage strategy for NSW.
The NSW Government draft strategy aims to ensure heritage is valued as an integral part of the culture and wellbeing of our communities and our sense of place.
Heritage includes the places, objects and stories we have inherited from the past and want to protect for generations to come. It includes:
- Aboriginal culture and landscapes spanning tens of thousands of years
- Natural heritage such as landscapes and ecosystems
- Historic buildings and structures
- Gardens, precincts and cultural landscapes
- Archaeological sites and shipwrecks
- Moveable heritage such as collections and objects
- Intangible heritage such as cultural practices and traditions.
We engaged and listened to the views of people from across NSW in the development of the strategy, including the heritage sector, advocacy groups, government and the broader community via workshops, focus groups and a public survey.
Tell us what you think
Share your feedback below by completing a survey, sharing an idea, uploading a submission or completing a quick poll by Sunday 13 July 2025.
For more details, please see the draft NSW Heritage Strategy and our frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Survey
Ideas
What actions could the NSW Government take to make the draft strategy vision happen?
Vision: Heritage is valued as an integral part of the culture and wellbeing of our communities and our sense of place. (max 140 characters).
21 May, 2025
KempC says:
The NSW Government needs to respect heritage in planning policies and repeal TOD and LMR housing policies where these impact on HCAs.
21 May, 2025
Roy E. says:
Open access to Mt Warning. Closing it to people based on race, heritage or gender has to be unconstitutional.
21 May, 2025
Daz says:
Create a plan that includes access for everyone. Stop referring to “owners”.
21 May, 2025
Threespeed905 says:
Enforcing development control orders on landowners, giving councils more authority under Schedule 5. streamline Heritage DA & Section 60's
21 May, 2025
Alexis says:
Provide funding for heritage assets valued by the community & allow engagement from the community in what they seek from the asset
21 May, 2025
DB says:
Remove aboriginal stuff and reopen Mt Warning
21 May, 2025
SamHiggs says:
Resource it and value it. Many of the road blocks exist because the NSW Gov has chosen not to fund it and prioritize development
21 May, 2025
Sarah says:
Improve the register so that each listing has information up to date. Many listings are empty and we are none the wiser why it is significan
20 May, 2025
M Dewar says:
Mandatory training or continuing professional development for heritage professionals, particularly those involved in governance of heritage.
19 May, 2025
John oliver says:
Wind & rain pushes bins over & spills trash. Install wheely bin lid locks open automatically when trucks tip bins upside down for emptying.
19 May, 2025
John says:
Start campaign to assist people in raising there properties building & storage facility foundation heights in low lying flood path or prone.
19 May, 2025
John oliver says:
Invent & install domestic wheely trash bin gravity or mechanically activated bin lid locking devices that open upside down when trucks empty
Submission
Quick poll
Quick Poll
How important is protecting heritage to you?
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
The draft NSW Heritage Strategy sets out a vision and strategic direction for protecting, conserving and activating the heritage of NSW. It outlines a series of high-level actions designed to achieve this vision. Actions will be refined based on public feedback and greater detail will be provided in the final strategy.
The draft NSW Heritage Strategy was developed through an extensive engagement process that began in August 2023. To understand the challenges and opportunities for heritage in NSW, the NSW Government talked to key stakeholders from across the heritage, planning, property, and local government sectors. We also met with a range of community advocacy organisations. A public survey was conducted on the Have Your Say webpage and a series of focus groups with diverse community members were held to better understand how the community views heritage. The draft strategy also draws on the report and recommendations from the 2021 Standing Committee on Social Issues’ Inquiry into the Heritage Act 1977, and the more than 300 submissions made to that Inquiry.
The NSW Government is excited to invite the people of NSW to participate in this important process and have your say on the draft NSW Heritage Strategy. This is the final phase of consultation and your feedback is crucial to ensure that the final strategy captures the diverse perspectives and voices of our state.
You can provide your feedback in four ways:
Public consultation on the draft NSW Heritage Strategy will be open for 8 weeks from 16 May 2025 to 13 July 2025. The feedback, comments and ideas received from public consultation will be used to develop a final version of the strategy.
The draft NSW Heritage Strategy acknowledges that Aboriginal cultural heritage is the foundation of all heritage in NSW. Actions under the draft strategy focus on recognition and protection of Aboriginal cultural heritage under the Heritage Act 1977 (e.g. state significant Aboriginal cultural heritage sites) and associated programs, such as the NSW Blue Plaques program.
The NSW Government is committed to reforming Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation, currently managed under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Aboriginal cultural heritage reforms are being carried out separately to the development of the NSW Heritage Strategy. The strategy will complement any future changes to the system for identifying and protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage. Further information about the Aboriginal cultural heritage reforms can be found here.
The Transport Orientated Development program and the Low and Mid-rise Housing Reforms aim to increase the number of well-located homes close to transport and deliver the government’s housing targets. The NSW Government is committed to delivering both new housing and heritage protections.
The NSW Heritage Strategy will support the housing reforms by considering ways to improve the alignment between the heritage and planning systems. With careful planning, development can be sensitively integrated into our neighbourhoods, protecting heritage character and enhancing the sense of place and liveability of our suburbs. Further information about the housing reforms can be found here.
Local heritage is managed by local councils across New South Wales and is protected under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979. The strategy considers local heritage within the context of considering ways to improve the alignment between the heritage and planning systems.
The strategy is intended to be implemented over five years. Timeframes and implementation steps will be set out in the final strategy document.
The 2021 Upper House Inquiry into the Heritage Act 1977 made 26 recommendations for legislative and non-legislative reform to the heritage system in NSW. The strategy provides an overarching framework for delivering on many of these recommendations.
The NSW Government proposes to pursue amendments to the Heritage Act 1977, in line with the recommendations of the 2021 Inquiry, as part of implementing the strategy.
The draft NSW Heritage Strategy sets out a vision and strategic direction for protecting and conserving heritage in NSW and outlines a series of high-level actions to achieve this vision. During the public consultation period we will be seeking feedback not just on the actions we propose, but on how we might work with communities to implement them.
These actions will be refined based on public feedback and further detail will be provided in the final strategy.
