Heritage Information Leaflet 1.13

The Heritage Branch

About us

The Heritage Branch is part of the Department for Environment and Heritage. Its principal roles are to identify, protect, conserve and promote the State's non-Aboriginal heritage within the context of relevant legislation - the Heritage Places Act 1993, the Development Act 1993, the South Australian Historic Shipwrecks Act 1981 and the Australian Government's Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.

The Branch mainly deals with heritage places of State significance that are part of the built environment. This includes not only buildings but places such as bridges, wells, monuments, mine sites, shipwrecks and cemeteries. Significant geological, archaeological, fossil and cave sites can also be protected.

The Heritage Branch provides administrative and policy support to the South Australian Heritage Council, an independent body which provides strategic advice to the Government on heritage matters. The Council also enters State Heritage Places in the South Australian Heritage Register in response to Branch recommendations based on public nominations and heritage surveys.

What we do

Manage the South Australian Heritage Register which:

• lists places and related objects of State significance that meet one or more of the criteria specified in Section 16 of the Heritage Places Act 1993
• records other categories of heritage places in South Australia (including local, national and world heritage places) which are protected under other legislation.

Help to identify, assess and conserve built heritage by:

• managing a survey and assessment program
• assessing and advising on the impact of development proposals on State Heritage Places
• advising owners about how best to conserve State Heritage Places.

Help to identify, assess and conserve our maritime heritage by:

• conducting regional surveys and collecting information from the community to identify South Australia's land-based and underwater maritime heritage sites. Underwater sites are predominantly shipwrecks. Terrestrial sites include former sealing and whaling stations
• researching and surveying sites to assess their significance and developing conservation management plans for their protection
• providing a broader historical perspective through interpretation in the form of brochures, booklets, exhibitions and maritime heritage trails.

Inform the community about South Australia's heritage by:

• producing a bi-annual newsletter, other publications and a web site
• developing and supporting education programs for schools
• interpreting significant sites and structures.

Some Heritage Branch publications can be downloaded from the publications page on the Heritage web site. Printed copies of some publications are available through the Department for Environment and Heritage Information Line on (61 8) 8204 1910.