To ensure heritage properties are protected, planning permission may be required from Council to demolish, construct, alter or extend buildings or structures in the Heritage Overlay.

You can find out if your house, street or neighbourhood is affected by a Heritage Overlay and what classification it has via Whitehorse Maps.  From here you can also download the Heritage Citation for the particular property or precinct. The citation will indicate what classification your property is and will include a history and description of the place, its heritage values, its condition and integrity and a statement of significance. The statement of significance is a key part of the citation.

If you are still unsure whether your property is affected by a Heritage Overlay, contact our Strategic Planning Unit before you begin any building or demolition work on 9262 6509 or e-mail customer.service@whitehorse.vic.gov.au

Heritage Classification

Properties affected by the Heritage Overlay are listed individually or as part of a precinct. A heritage precinct is an area comprising heritage places that are historically related or share common characteristics. They are commonly a group of houses or shopping strips.

There are three different heritage classifications for places in a heritage precinct that are detailed in the Heritage Policy in the Whitehorse Planning Scheme:

Significant heritage places: places of state, municipal or local cultural heritage significance that are individually important, and may also contribute to the heritage significance of their precinct.

Contributory heritage places: places that contribute to the significance of a precinct. They are not considered individually important; however, combined with other significant and/or contributory heritage places, they demonstrate the heritage significance of a precinct.

Non-contributory places: places within a heritage precinct that have no heritage significance, but their development may affect the precinct or adjacent 'significant' or 'contributory' heritage places.

Heritage Framework Plan 2020 ( PDF 299.51KB)

City of Whitehorse Thematic Environmental History (Consolidated) ( PDF 5.34MB), GJM Heritage, July 2023, Adopted February 2026

The inclusion of individual properties and precincts in the Heritage Overlay has been informed by the following local heritage studies:

* Denotes former municipalities that now comprise the City of Whitehorse

^# This Thematic History has been superseded by the City of Whitehorse Thematic Environmental History (Consolidated), Adopted February 2026 (See separate listing above)

There are currently 790 heritage places protected by Heritage Overlays within the municipality either by individual listings or precinct overlays.  The Heritage Overlay is a planning control in the Whitehorse Planning Scheme that can be applied to properties that have been investigated and are determined to have heritage significance. Applying a Heritage Overlay to an individual place or precinct is done via a Planning Scheme Amendment.

The purpose of the Heritage Overlay is to protect places of aesthetic, social or historical importance. The inclusion of properties in the Heritage Overlay helps to make sure that new development does not negatively impact on the heritage significance of the place or precinct.

To ensure heritage properties are protected, planning permission may be required from Council to demolish, construct, alter or extend buildings or structures in the Heritage Overlay.

The relevant Heritage provisions of the Whitehorse Planning Scheme are:

• Local Heritage Policy, clause 15.03-1L
• The Heritage Overlay, clause 43.01
• The schedule to clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay

Precinct guidelines and development guidelines for individually listed buildings are available in the following documentation:

The City of Whitehorse engages the services of a qualified Heritage Advisor to provide architectural and technical advice for heritage listed places within Whitehorse. The Heritage Advisor is available by appointment one day per week, generally on a Wednesday.

Heritage pre-application advice prior to the lodgement of an Application for Planning Permit will help to resolve any potential design issues and identify additional information required to be submitted to facilitate a smoother application process.

To arrange a pre-application meeting or to talk to the Heritage Advisor please contact the Strategic Planning Unit on 9262 6303.

Council has a keen interest in protecting its history and recognises that maintaining heritage can sometimes be a difficult and expensive task. The Whitehorse Heritage Assistance Fund provides financial support to individuals, community groups and organisations for the purposes of improving the condition and appearance of heritage buildings. Such works might include repairing leadlight windows, painting, replacing guttering, rotted door frames, verandahs or front steps.

The Fund has operated since 2005 and has assisted hundreds of heritage properties.

All owners or occupiers of eligible buildings covered by a Heritage Overlay in Whitehorse will receive information in the mail about the Fund. Each heritage grant may fund up to 100 per cent of the total project cost to a maximum of $2,000. A total of $40,000 will be available for this year’s fund.

Further information is available at Heritage Assistance Fund.

Places on the Victorian Heritage Register are considered to have statewide cultural heritage significance. The Heritage Council of Victoria provides guidance on how places and objects can be included in the Register. 

The following places within the City of Whitehorse are included on the Victorian Heritage Register:

A place on the National Heritage List must be of outstanding significance to Australia. Very high standards have been set for inclusion with examples of sites on this list including the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Exhibition Building, the Australian War Memorial and Port Arthur.