The Heritage Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2028 was adopted at last night's Council meeting with the strategy's aim to guide the management and protection of our built, natural, and cultural heritage.
The strategy sets a shared vision for heritage management through advocacy, knowledge sharing and supporting actions, so the City and the community can help protect and connect with our heritage.
This is the first strategy of this kind for the City, so the next four years are centered towards setting up solid foundations. This includes reviewing heritage information, updating heritage registers, and ensuring heritage that has not yet been studied is listed on an upcoming program.
The strategy was overseen and co-developed by community members of the Heritage Advisory Committee, who provided feedback on all aspects of the project.
Residents were invited to provide feedback on the draft strategy by ranking their top priority actions and providing written submissions via the City of Greater Bendigo's Let's Talk Greater Bendigo engagement platform. Interviews were also undertaken with staff that manage built heritage assets, objects, collections, civic heritage gardens, and staff responsible for tourism and events.
The Heritage Strategy and Action Plan 2024-2028 features a range of actions grouped under four broad categories of knowing, protecting, supporting and promoting our heritage.
Some of the Strategy's key actions include:
- Promote heritage and heritage venues through tourism events and heritage attractions
- Increase public education and awareness of built heritage with release of the trial financial assistance grant program
- Provide educational opportunities to share heritage planning knowledge with students
- Engage with Traditional Owners and implement staff training to ensure the City continues to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage
- Advocate for the reuse and restoration of privately-owned, high profile heritage sites, including key historic features such as signs
- Support historical collecting groups, for example through information sessions and advice
