FAQs

The Council is the State Government’s advisory body on heritage matters, with functions and powers under the Heritage Act 2018. It is charged with compiling the State Register of Heritage Places.

The Council’s role is to determine the State significance of a place and make a recommendation to the Minister for Heritage, who makes the final decision on whether a place is entered in the State Register.

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage supports the Council and the Minister for Heritage.

The State Register of Heritage Places is a statutory list of places that represent the story of Western Australia’s history and development. Entry in the Register is reserved for places that have been assessed as being of State cultural heritage significance. The Register is focused on places dating from, and after, European contact and Colonial settlement and includes places to which Western Australians retain a connection. The Register acknowledges the value and importance of a place and helps promote its conservation into the future. At present, there are 1,393 places in the State Register.

The three brick munitions storage buildings constructed during WWII are already on the State Register. The proposed amendment will take in the wider reserve. This includes other elements from when it was a munitions storage area, including 30 munitions storage facilities and the munitions jetty. Please review the draft assessment and curtilage map for further information.

The amended registration would recognise the place and its significance to the story of Western Australia, ensuring the story will continue to be acknowledged into the future.

Yes. The Council recognises that changes to heritage places are required to ensure a place is used and conserved. Inclusion on the State Register does not prevent changes being made at the place. It enables to Heritage Council to advise on certain proposals (through the planning process) to ensure that the cultural heritage significance of the place can be understood and appreciated. Many general maintenance and repair works can be carried out without heritage advice.

The Heritage Council is aware of the plan to replace the munitions jetty and has had some input into the proposal.

Comments on the proposed amended registration can be made via the online survey through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s Have Your Say, WA! website or by email to HCWAregistration@dplh.wa.gov.au. 

Once the period for comments has closed, the Council will consider all submissions and decide whether to recommend the amended registration to the Minister for Heritage, who will make the final decision.