Steps for managing heritage in NSW

Standard steps and procedures for managing heritage in NSW

In NSW, the steps to managing heritage are:

  • investigate significance
  • assess significance
  • manage significance

Each step has standard procedures that can and should be applied to all types of heritage items and which apply to any level of significance, local, state, national or world.

Expand items below to see the procedure and guidance documents for each step. 

Steps for managing heritage in NSW

  1. Investigate the item’s historical context
  2. Investigate relevant communities’ understanding of the item
  3. Identify local historical themes and relate them to the NSW history themes
  4. Investigate the item’s history
  5. Investigate the item’s fabric

Publications to guide people investigating heritage significance:

  1. Summarise what you know about the item
  2. Describe the previous and current uses of the item, its associations with individuals or groups and its meaning for those people
  3. Assess significance using the NSW heritage assessment criteria
  4. Check whether you can make a sound analysis of the item’s heritage significance
  5. Determine the item’s level of significance
  6. Prepare a succinct statement of heritage significance
  7. Get feedback from the community and stakeholders
  8. Succinctly write up all your information in plain English

Publications to guide people assessing heritage significance:

  1. Analyse the management implications of the item’s level of significance
  2. Investigate the opportunities and limits arising out of the item’s significance (including appropriate uses, activities or practices essential to significance)
  3. Understand owner and user requirements
  4. Prepare conservation and management recommendations
  5. Get feedback from the community and stakeholders
  6. Identify statutory controls and their relationship to the item’s significance
  7. Recommend a process for carrying out the conservation and management policies and actions

Publications to guide people managing heritage significance:

Other relevant publications