NSW Heritage Strategy

I am delighted to present the first ever NSW Heritage Strategy.

This strategy is the result of 2 years of conversations with communities about the future of heritage in our state. It sets out a 5-year plan to build a heritage system that is inclusive, adaptable and better supports the people of New South Wales.

The NSW Government recognises that we live on land that has been cared for by First Nations people for thousands of years. This ongoing connection to Country is a vital part of our cultural heritage and identity.

Heritage matters. It strengthens communities, supports wellbeing, and benefits our economy and environment. It shapes our cities, towns and neighbourhoods as they grow and change. This strategy aims to share these benefits fairly across New South Wales.

When I consulted on the draft heritage strategy, you said you want to see yourself and your communities reflected in the heritage we protect in this state. This means expanding our thinking about what heritage should be, to include cultural practices and storytelling and recognise the diversity of our communities. It also means removing barriers to accessing and participating in heritage so the breadth of our state’s history and culture can be told and experienced.

You also said you want to see the vital contribution heritage makes to our communities recognised and supported. This means bringing the heritage system up to date so that it can meet current and future challenges and support the important people who care for heritage for all of us. The strategy sets a course for how we will achieve this over the next 5 years.

Heritage plays an important role in creating liveable, vibrant neighbourhoods that meet the needs of current and future generations. This strategy sets a clear path for heritage to contribute to our communities now and into the future.

The Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC
Minister for Heritage

Aboriginal cultural heritage is the foundation of the state’s heritage.

Aboriginal cultural heritage includes the diverse practices, knowledge, places and objects that are of significance to Aboriginal people, because of the traditions, Lore, cultural practices, beliefs and history tied to them.

Aboriginal cultural heritage is dynamic, diverse and continuously evolving. It is deeply rooted in relationships that have stood since time immemorial between Aboriginal people and the lands, waterways and seas to which they are connected, known as ‘Country’. This concept of Country goes beyond the physical landscape to encompass the spiritual connections and cultural responsibilities that Aboriginal people maintain towards their land and heritage.

Despite the profound effects of colonisation, which have reshaped the landscape and introduced new heritage narratives, the enduring and intrinsic Aboriginal cultural heritage values have persisted and continue to enrich our understanding of the land and its people. All too often, however, the stories we tell about places do not do justice in recognising and respecting these values.

The strategy seeks to address this in principle and in action. The strategy is informed by the principles of Dhawura Ngilan, including recognising Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights and upholding the principle of free, prior and informed consent. It places the continuing cultural connections Aboriginal people hold to Country at the forefront of heritage conservation, commemoration, and celebration. Central to this is the importance of truth telling – supporting Aboriginal people to share the stories they want to tell in the ways they want to tell them.

By ensuring that the voices of Aboriginal people are heard and recognised, the strategy aims to elevate Aboriginal perspectives so that the NSW heritage system reflects the complex, and at times difficult stories of the peoples that make up the whole of the NSW community.

A note on Aboriginal cultural heritage in the strategy

The strategy is designed to complement, but is separate to, the forthcoming reforms to Aboriginal cultural heritage laws in New South Wales (including Part 6 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974).

The strategy therefore does not include Aboriginal cultural heritage protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 except where it is also listed on the State Heritage Register.