Western Australian Heritage Awards

The Western Australian Heritage Awards recognise outstanding commitment and contribution to heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, interpretation, tourism and promotion in Western Australia.
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Since the first awards in 1992, the Heritage Awards have been an opportunity to showcase the excellent work in revitalising heritage places, setting standards in interpretation, heritage tourism, conservation and adaptive reuse. For more information on the WA Heritage Awards contact the Awards Coordinator.

Nominations for the 2024 WA Heritage Awards are now closed. Winners will be announced on Friday 29 November 2024 by the Minister for Heritage. 

Why enter the awards? 

The awards are Western Australia’s premier heritage event which highlights best practice in adaptive reuse, conservation, interpretation, heritage tourism, and promotion

The awards attract extensive media interest, ensuring that the industry, government and community recognise and celebrate finalists and winners that demonstrate innovation and best practice. As well as showcasing the very best of heritage practices, the awards also educate the wider community about the importance of conserving our cultural heritage.

They offer the opportunity to promote conservation projects internationally. Winners and commendations may be invited to have their project shortlisted for a UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The cooperation between the Heritage Council and UNESCO has now seen six projects recognised on the international stage, demonstrating the world-class standard of conservation work being undertaken in Western Australia. As well, projects are being featured in the Heritage Matters eNewsletter, the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage website and other promotional material.

Awards categories and criteria

Voluntary Individual Contribution

An individual who has made a significant contribution to the conservation, promotion and/or understanding of cultural heritage in the community, in a voluntary capacity.

Criteria 1:

Outline the nominee’s contribution to heritage in a volunteer capacity and the group/organisation they volunteer with (if applicable). For example, has their contribution been through conservation of a heritage place or collection, education/promotion of heritage or through research?

Criteria 2:

Provide details of the public benefit the nominee’s contribution has made to cultural heritage, in the community, and to Western Australia as a whole.

Professional Contribution

An individual who has made a significant contribution to heritage and has demonstrated best practice standards through their employment in the heritage industry.

Criteria 1:

Outline the nominee’s contribution to the heritage industry, and how they have shared their skills and knowledge with others.

Criteria 2:

Outline how the nominee has demonstrated best practice in their field of work and how the individual’s contribution has benefited Western Australian cultural heritage principles or values.

Contribution by an Organisation

A community-based, non-profit, public or private organisation whose contribution demonstrates a commitment to cultural heritage and/or heritage-related work, services or programs in Western Australia.

Criteria 1:

Outline the ways that the organisation demonstrates a commitment to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage. Be sure to include any significant achievements or projects.

Criteria 2:

What is the public benefit of the organisation’s contribution to heritage in the community and/or to the heritage industry? 

Interpretation Project

A project that celebrates and/or promotes a heritage experience by helping visitors to develop a strong sense of understanding and appreciation of a place. The project must relate to or include a State Registered place or precinct or a local heritage place.

Criteria 1:
What is the outcome of this project and how does it contribute to the sense of place? For example, has it assisted visitors to understand the story of a place, made it more inclusive for visitors or increased visitor numbers?

Criteria 2:
In what ways does the project relate to and expand upon the place’s listed cultural heritage significance?

Criteria 3:
How have innovative design and creativity been used to convey the heritage significance of the site? 
 

Heritage Tourism

A business, service or project that offers a heritage tourism experience and provides visitors with access to and/or interpretation of a heritage place. The product may be a walking tour, historic trail, festival, event, accommodation, cruise, performance.

Criteria 1:
Outline how this product or experience fosters a greater understanding of cultural heritage to the connected area or site.

Criteria 2:
Specify the unique contribution the product has made to the heritage tourism industry in Western Australia.

Criteria 3:
What is the outcome of this project and how does it benefit the WA tourism industry? For example, has it assisted visitors to understand the story of the place, has it increased visitor numbers and made it more inclusive for visitors? 
 

Conservation or Adaptive Reuse of a Local Heritage Place

This category covers both conservation and/the adaptive reuse of a local heritage place. The judges may choose to recognise more than one winner.

Nominations for small and large projects are encouraged and residential, commercial and/or public projects are eligible to be nominated. Projects will be assessed against a broad spectrum of criteria including the heritage outcome, conservation practices, social and community benefits, challenges faced, and partnerships demonstrated.

Criteria 1:
Outline the conservation, adaptation and any interpretation work that has been undertaken, and how the work demonstrates best practice.

Criteria 2:
How does the project support or enhance the cultural heritage significance of the place?

Criteria 3:
Outline the significance of the project and the lasting benefit it will provide the community. How has the project benefited the local community/streetscape and/or heritage of the area? 
 

Conservation or Adaptive Reuse of a State Registered Place

This category covers both conservation and/the adaptive reuse of a place included in the State Register of Heritage Places. The judges may choose to recognise more than one winner.

Nominations for small and large projects are encouraged and residential, commercial and/or public projects are eligible to be nominated. Projects will be assessed against a broad spectrum of criteria including the heritage outcome, conservation practices, social and community benefits, challenges faced, and partnerships demonstrated.

Criteria 1:
Outline the conservation, adaptation and any interpretation work that has been undertaken, and how the work demonstrates best practice.

Criteria 2:
How does the project support or enhance the cultural heritage significance of the place?

Criteria 3:
Outline the significance of the project and the lasting benefit it will provide the community. How has the project benefited the local community/streetscape and/or heritage of the area? 
 

How to submit a nomination

  1. Nominations are completed and submitted online. Register or login to the WA Heritage Awards portal, to start a nomination.
  2. Read through the general terms and conditions of the WA Heritage Awards to confirm the nomination meets the eligibility criteria.
  3. Review the categories and criteria to see which category is most suitable. You are eligible to enter more than one category, as long as the work submitted meets the criteria.
  4. Please make sure all your personal details are entered accurately, including contact details, as this will be used in the awards presentation if selected as a finalist.
  5. For more information, or if you encounter any difficulties during the nomination process, contact the Awards coordinator by emailing HeritageAwards@dplh.wa.gov.au 

General terms and conditions

  • The Western Australian Heritage Awards are open to all individuals, property owners, architects, developers, builders, tourism operators, government and non-government agencies.
  • Projects and work undertaken must be based in Western Australia.
  • All nominations relating to a heritage  property require the consent of the owner of the property being nominated for the award.
  • Previous finalists and nominees are encouraged to reapply.
  • Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage staff and serving Members of Parliament are ineligible to enter.
  • Where conservation work is the focus of the nomination, judging will be based on the principles of the Burra Charter.
  • The judges reserve the right to give joint awards and/or not give an award in any of the categories. The judges may decide that a nomination is better suited to another category.
  • To ensure fairness for all nominations, answers will be capped and there is a word limit for each of the criteria.

Uploading images to support your nomination

It is very important that your nomination is supported with good quality, high resolution images as images form a key part of your submission and are considered during the judging process.

Please ensure each image is saved with a meaningful name, and includes the name of the nomination or project, and if possible, the name of the photographer to be credited.

Images will be used to promote your heritage project in the media, on the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage website, in publications and at the awards ceremony.

At least five photographs or images must be uploaded to support the nomination and each image must have a title, details of the photographer to be credited and the year the image was taken.

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage will ensure, that where possible, images are appropriately captioned, and the photographer credited.

Each photograph or mage should be 1MB or more. Only historical or pre-conservation images below 1MB will be accepted. A 10MB maximum for each image uploaded is recommended.

2023 WA Heritage Awards

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