Inventory and Heritage List

About the inventory and heritage list

The Local Government Inventory is a register that identifies the places and areas that are of cultural heritage significance in the local area.  It includes the City of Cockburn's 'Significant Tree' list, which are trees listed for their cultural heritage significance.

The Local Government Inventory recognises the importance of heritage places to the local community, and provides a record of the places that are an important part of the history of the area.  All local governments are required to compile a Local Government Inventory under the Heritage Act 2018.  Under the new Act they are referred to as 'Local Heritage Surveys'.

Each place is allocated a Management Category between A and D, with A being the most significant and D being the least. Management Categories recognise the different levels of significance and intactness of heritage places and provide recommendations to the City as to the kind of care that should be taken for each place.

The most significant places (A and B) are also included on the Heritage List. The adoption of a Heritage List is a requirement of the City of Cockburn Town Planning Scheme No. 3 (the Scheme), and these places are protected under the Scheme.

The City of Cockburn's Local Government Inventory was last updated on August 2021.

The 2021 Local Government Inventory document can be viewed below, and you can view heritage places in Cockburn on the City’s online mapping system opens in a new window by selecting the "constraints and heritage" layer.

Selection criteria 

Places are selected for inclusion on the Local Government Inventory based on their cultural heritage significance, which includes aesthetic, historic, scientific or social value.  These values have been defined by the Heritage Council of Western Australia.

The places that are currently included on the Local Government Inventory were identified for inclusion either in the original 1998 Local Government Inventory (then referred to as the Municipal Inventory), or in subsequent reviews. 

Some of these places were nominated by members of the community or community groups, and others were identified by heritage consultants engaged by the City of Cockburn.

How to nominate 

Anyone can nominate a heritage place for inclusion on the Local Government Inventory and/or Heritage List. 

The City will consider any nominations for new heritage places against the Heritage Council of WA criteria. 

• To nominate a heritage place, please use the form below:

Heritage Place Nomination form

• Nominations for 'Significant Trees' will be assessed against the City's criteria for significant trees. Visit the following page to make a nomination.

Significant Tree form 

In some cases the City may engage a Heritage Consultant or historian to review nominations to determine whether they meet the criteria, and to undertake further historical research if required.  Council makes the final decision on whether a place or tree is to be included on the Local Government Inventory. 

If you have nominated a place or a tree for inclusion on the inventory and heritage register, you will be advised when the matter will be considered by Council.

Development of heritage places

The City’s Local Planning Policy – Heritage Conservation Design Guidelines - provides guidance and information on the development of heritage places, and works to 'Significant Trees'.

The Heritage Conservation Design Guidelines set out the development control principles for places on the Heritage List, outline the state planning context for heritage places and provide improved certainty to landowners and the community about the development control principles for heritage conservation and protection.

Aboriginal Heritage Places (listings)

For matters relating to Aboriginal heritage places, see the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, and please note there have been recent changes to the legislation.

Naval Base Holiday Park Heritage Area 

The City has adopted a Local Planning Policy to ensure that development within the Naval Base Holiday Park Heritage Area respects the heritage significance of the area.

More information and contact 

For more information about the Local Government Inventory and Heritage List please contact Strategic Planning on 08 9411 3444 or [email protected]