A Heritage Study is undertaken by a heritage consultant to identify, assess and document post-settlement places of cultural significance within the community. A heritage study makes recommendations about how to conserve potential places of heritage significance into the future, including the use of planning scheme tools such as the application of a Heritage Overlay.

Heritage Studies are usually done in two stages.

• Stage 1 involves preparing a broad history of the area, identifying the themes that have contributed to the area’s development and identifying places of potential heritage significance
• Stage 2 studies in more detail the potential heritage places to see if they meet the State criteria to be identified in the heritage overlay of the planning scheme

This consultation program is for stage one of the study. A history of the Bendigo South East area is being prepared and now we are seeking feedback from the community on what places are valued for their heritage significance.

The City is undertaking the Bendigo South East Heritage Study to ensure that as the area grows and develops, valued heritage places are retained, protected and enhanced.

A Heritage Gap Analysis carried out on behalf of the City of Greater Bendigo in May 2019 identified areas where heritage studies were old and needed updating. Some areas had not had any formal heritage studies done before. Only parts of the Bendigo South East area were included in the Former Shires of McIvor and Strathfieldsaye Heritage Study, undertaken in 2009. This Heritage Study will cover areas in Bendigo South East not included as part of the initial 2009 Heritage Study.

Related Links:

• Heritage Gap analysis
• Former Shires of McIvor and Strathfieldsaye Heritage Study 2009

The new Bendigo South East Heritage Study will cover Spring Gully, Flora Hill, Kennington, Strathdale and part of Golden Gully. See the study area map on this page.

A broad range of places could be considered as part of the Bendigo South East Heritage Study including private, public and community buildings, bridges, former mining relics, monuments, trees, parks or open space, sports facilities or heritage buildings of various eras and styles.

As part of our community engagement for the Bendigo South East Heritage Study, the City is collecting information about the study area to:

• Understand whether any places need to be investigated for potential heritage significance
• Find out about places that the community values and to understand what makes the Bendigo South East area distinctive

• Increase our knowledge and understanding of heritage places that exist, which could also include additional records or documentation that add to the significance of these places

This information will then be analysed and assessed to determine whether or not these sites should be protected in the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme.

If heritage sites are not preserved, we are at risk of losing the places that make our communities unique. By recognising, protecting and celebrating the different types of heritage that we value, such as architecture, gold mining infrastructures, bridge building techniques, natural landscapes or trees, we are ensuring that future generations will be able to enjoy the places that make the Bendigo South East area so special and show its development through time.

Heritage places provide interest and tell a story and help attract visitors, new businesses and residents to a place, which in turn supports the economy and liveability of an area.

When a heritage study identifies heritage places that are significant to the local community, the City of Greater Bendigo can apply a Heritage Overlay to identify and protect the heritage place into the future. A Heritage Overlay can also be applied to places of state significance that are included in the Victorian Heritage Register.

The purpose of a Heritage Overlay is to conserve and enhance places of natural and cultural significance and also the elements that contribute to the significance of heritage places. Heritage Overlays are also used to ensure that development does not adversely affect the significance of heritage places. It is a tool that is used to identify and protect heritage places and has a statutory function within the operation of the Planning Scheme.

The most common types of Heritage Overlays found within in the City of Greater Bendigo are:

• A Heritage Overlay applied to a precinct
• A precinct-wide Heritage Overlay covers a heritage area that contains multiple sites. While not all buildings, structures or landscape elements covered by a precinct-wide Heritage Overlay will have heritage significance, the majority will and the intention is to protect the elements that contribute to the heritage significance of the whole area.
  
• A Heritage Overlay applied to an individual place
• A Heritage Overlay can be applied to a site considered to be of individual significance.

In addition to any other applicable Zone or Overlay planning permit triggers, the Heritage Overlay may in some instances require land owners to gain planning permit consent for changes to places included within the Overlay. It is important to note that the Overlay does not prohibit development. The permit process will ensure that significant features are appropriately managed when changes to heritage places are proposed.

Under the Heritage Overlay a planning permit is generally required to:

• Demolish or remove a building
• Construct a building
• Externally alter a building
• Construct or display a sign
• Subdivide or consolidate land
• In certain situations, externally paint a building, internally alter a building or remove, prune or lop a tree.

For sites of heritage significance, it is important to ensure that the elements of value are identified and protected, where appropriate.

If you are considering making alterations or other changes to a heritage place, you can contact Council’s Statutory Planning unit to check how the heritage controls may affect you.

If your property falls within a Heritage Overlay, the City of Greater Bendigo offers financial assistance to owners of historic building to undertake restoration and conservation projects:

Heritage Restoration Fund Scheme

We are in the early stages of commencing Stage 1 of the Bendigo South East Heritage Study and we are currently seeking feedback from the community about potential places of heritage significance that can be found within the study area. To help us discover potential places to be included within the study, we have launched an interactive page on Let’s Talk where members of the community can use the mapping markers to highlight and comment on any places that they value and also complete a survey about important places in the Bendigo South East area.

The details of places that we collect from the community will then be considered for further assessment as part of Stage 2 of the Bendigo South East Heritage Study, as well as other places identified in the Stage 1 Heritage Study. If a property is identified as being a place of heritage significance and is recommended for inclusion in a Heritage Overlay, we will notify the property owners of this recommendation.

The City intends to undertake heritage studies throughout the municipality. We recently completed Stage 1 of the former Shire of Huntly Heritage Study and will commence Stage 2 shortly. We are currently finalising Stage 2 of the Golden Square Heritage Study. Our future heritage projects over the next few years include a Significant Tree Study and further reviews of the Eaglehawk and Bendigo Heritage Study (1993).

You can have you say on this project page by filling out a survey, marking places on a map that have special heritage significance to you or upload photos or stories of sites.

If you would like a hard copy of the survey mailed to you, please email or call us on (03) 5434 6000

All feedback needs to be received by October 8, 2021.

For more information, please contact Alison Kiefel in Strategic Planning by emailing or call us on (03) 5434 6000