Previous Fact Sheet	Fact Sheet Home	Next Fact Sheet

Topic 6 – Heritage

Overview

The law plays an important role in protecting our natural and cultural heritage. Heritage protection involves the conservation of items and places that are culturally significant, that is, items and places that have aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value for present and future generations.

For example, an urban park or wilderness area may be valued not only for its ecological values, but also for its aesthetic value or historic significance. Cultural heritage items or places, such as historical buildings or Indigenous artefacts, may possess a range of heritage values, including aesthetic, historic and spiritual values.

Heritage protection laws exist at international, national and State levels. Heritage values may also be protected indirectly via other legal mechanisms. In New South Wales , local councils also have a responsibility to identify and conserve of items of local heritage significance.

As the level of protection of heritage items and the resulting heritage lists are derived according to their significance - internationally, nationally, at State and local level - it is appropriate to begin the discussion at the national level, which gives effect to issues of international significance.

• Fact Sheet 6.1 - Commonwealth Heritage Protection Law

• Fact Sheet 6.2 - New South Wales Heritage Protection Law