Heritage and planning

A prosperous society knows the importance of protecting its heritage.

The unique history of Kingston can be found in our buildings, monuments, neighbourhoods, landscapes, waterways and native areas.

Our heritage begins from the sites and culture of the original inhabitants, the Bunurong people.

Our built environment has shaped the grand city since its beginnings in the 1840s, from the growth of the railways during the interwar periods to the development of seaside areas to post-war industrial and residential expansion.

Our heritage is highly valued by our community, and they support our policies to protect significant landmarks and places.

A list of Kingston's significant heritage properties are available as a spreadsheet(XLS, 44KB).

To find out about a heritage-listed property or suburb, contact our Strategic Planning team at strategicplanning@kingston.vic.gov.au or call 1300 653 356. They can also provide a Heritage Study of Kingston, heritage sites, planning scheme amendments and heritage conservation.

You’ll find many wonderful stories and incredible photographs on our Local History Website.

Our City Historian, Dr Graham Whitehead, can be reached on 1300 135 668.

Victorian Heritage Council and Heritage Victoria

Heritage Victoria identifies and protects sites that were significant to the development of state of Victoria on the Victorian Heritage Register (Heritage Act 1995).

Check the properties and locations from the City of Kingston listed on the register.

Heritage Amendment C46

More than just a number, amendment C046 was extremely important for Kingston because it established a framework to identify and protect valuable local historical sites. Approved by the Minister for Planning in 2 stages (22 December 2005 and 22 June 2006), it resists future development pressures on our heritage places and increase the need to protect historic areas.

Accordingly, the amendment:

  • modified Kingston's Municipal Strategic Statement to reinforce Council's commitment to Heritage (Clauses 21.02, 21.04 and 21.05)
  • introduced a new planning scheme provision within Kingston's Municipal Strategic Statement (Clause 21.13)
  • introduced a new local planning policy to provide guidance for future development and enhancement of heritage places through specific objectives and policies (Clause 22.12)
  • applied the Heritage Overlay controls to places and precinct areas that Council identified as significant through the Kingston Heritage Study within the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Kingston Planning Scheme.

For details, contact our Strategic Planning Team on 1300 653 356 or contact other planning bodies below.

Heritage Victoria

Email: heritage.victoria@dewlp.vic.gov.au

Web: heritage.vic.gov.au

Address: GPO Box 2392, Melbourne 3001 

National Trust of Australia (Victoria)

Phone: (03) 9656 9800

Email: conservation@nattrust.com.au

Web: nationaltrust.org.au

Address: Tasma Terrace, 4 Parliament Pl, East Melbourne 3002

Aboriginal Heritage Legislation

Phone: 1800 762 003

Email: Aboriginal.Heritage@dpc.vic.gov.au

Web: firstpeoplesrelations.vic.gov.au

Kingston Heritage Study (Stages 1 & 2)

The City of Kingston and Heritage Victoria put together a Thematic Environmental History of our area way back in November 1998 (approved in 2005 – 2006).

The study identified sites and precincts with potential local heritage value.

Stage 1 was by heritage consultants Living Histories Pty Ltd and Stage 2 by Bryce Raworth Consultants Pty Ltd.

A full copy of the Kingston Heritage Study can be viewed at our customer service centres and libraries.

View the Stage 1 Heritage Report(PDF, 8MB) and a list of all citations from Stage 2(PDF, 10MB).

Heritage Planning and Environment Act

We all have a role to play in protecting our heritage places. Respect for our cultural heritage involves retaining and managing sites and objects of importance to our community.

The Planning and Environment Act 1987 requires that Councils use their planning scheme to implement the objectives of planning in Victoria, including:

To conserve and enhance buildings, areas and other places which are of scientific, aesthetic, architectural or historic interest, or of special cultural value.

Policies & Provisions of the Planning Scheme

The policies of our Planning Scheme must be considered when assessing planning permit applications to alter, modify or demolish a heritage place:

Policy   Description    

The State Planning Policy Framework of the Kingston Planning Scheme

State Government's heritage policy    

Kingston Municipal Strategic Statement(PDF, 602KB)

Council's policy response to heritage    

Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay and associated schedule of the Kingston Planning Scheme

Schedule to the Heritage Overlay

Principle tool by which Council safeguards its heritage assets

Key heritage terms and definitions

What is a heritage citation?

A citation is a report by a qualified heritage expert on a significant property: a description of heritage elements, historical information, assessment criteria and statement of significance.

What is a heritage place?

A heritage place includes a site, area, building, group of buildings, structure, archaeological site, tree, garden or other place of natural or cultural significance and its associated land.

What is a heritage precinct?

A continuous area which:

  • contains buildings that derive considerable cultural significance from their context and/or relationship with others in the area
  • has largely intact or visually cohesive streetscapes, creating a precinct of historic and/or architectural integrity
  • contains a large number of substantially intact buildings
  • may contain buildings that contribute to the historic or architectural significance of the area as a whole and may contain historically or botanically contributory gardens, reserves and specimens.