Council respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land which includes the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung people. We pay our respects to the Elders past, present and emerging.
In the early 1800s, the Europeans arrived in the area and used the land for pastoral activities. After discovering gold, they used the land for mining limestone and sand deposits.
Council has a Heritage Advisory Service for property owners with an existing or proposed heritage overlay.
To find out whether your property has a heritage overlay, please visit the Victorian State Government's Planning Maps page.
Arrange a pre-application meeting
We encourage you to speak with our Heritage Advisor to ensure your property is correctly renovated or altered. You can also receive information on the property's history and how to maintain its heritage.
Please call Strategic Planning on 03 5366 7100 or email info@moorabool.vic.gov.au
Examples of a heritage property include:
- house
- farm building
- public building
- garden or tree
- bridge
- drystone wall
For further information:
Moorabool’s Heritage Advisory Committee provides support and advice to Council about cultural heritage matters throughout the Shire.
The Committee has representatives from local historical societies and groups, community members, Councillors and Council Staff including Council’s Heritage Advisor.
Meeting schedule
Meetings are held on the second last Wednesday every two months from 10am to 12pm in person at various locations throughout the Shire.
Meetings are set for the following dates in 2023.
Wednesday 15 February 2023, Lerderderg Library - James Young Meeting Room
Wednesday 19 April 2023, Lerderderg Library - James Young Meeting Room
Wednesday 21 June 2023, Location TBC
Wednesday 23 August 2023, Location TBC
Wednesday 18 October 2023, Location TBC
Wednesday 13 December 2023, Location TBC
Terms of Reference
Heritage Advisory Committee Terms of Reference(PDF, 676KB)
Want to know more about the committee?
Contact Council’s Growth and Development Team via email at info@moorabool.vic.gov.au or call 5366 7100.
Moorabool Shire Council along with 12 other locals councils, led by the Cities of Ballarat and Greater Bendigo, have partnered to progress a joint bid to secure the UNSECO World Heritage Listing of the Central Victorian Goldfields Region. These Goldfields are one of the largest and best surviving landscapes in the world that showcases the worldwide gold rush phenomenon of the nineteenth century.
The project aims to recognise, celebrate and present the history of the Central Victorian Goldfields. This will be achieved by creating a listing of multiple sites throughout the Central Victorian Goldfields Region that represents the significant values related to the Central Victorian Goldfield gold rush.
A UNESCO World Heritage Listing has the potential to bring economic diversification, jobs, investment and tourism, and raise the socio-economic outlook and liveability for cities, towns and communities across the region.
Find more about the project at: goldfieldsworldheritage.com.au
Moorabool is home to many fascinating Historical Societies running throughout the Shire.
Each one is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of the area:
You can uncover Moorabool's unique history by exploring our heritage trails and sites below (with more to be added soon):
Our Heritage Strategy 2016 - 2020 provides a framework to better understand, manage, and protect the Shire's heritage.
View the Strategy document(PDF, 3MB).
Amendment C85: West Moorabool Heritage Study
In September 2017, Council adopted the findings of the West Moorabool Heritage Study, Stage 2A, and resolved to prepare an amendment to introduce the recommended heritage controls into the Moorabool Planning Scheme.
Strategic Planning is currently preparing Amendment C85 which will introduce heritage controls to a number of properties identified within the Study.
Heritage Studies
To recognise the places of cultural and historical significance in the Shire, Council has commissioned the following Studies to identify individual heritage places and heritage precincts.
West Moorabool Heritage Study (D. Rowe & W. Jacobs, 2016)
- West Moorabool Heritage Study Report (Volume 1, Oct 2016)(PDF, 5MB)
- West Moorabool Thematic History (Volume 2, Oct 2016)(PDF, 20MB)
- West Moorabool Heritage Precincts (Volume 3, Oct 2016)(PDF, 17MB)
- West Moorabool Heritage Study Ballan (Volume 4, Oct 2016)(PDF, 30MB)
- West Moorabool Heritage Study Other Citations (Volume 5, Oct 2016)(PDF, 27MB)
After the 2019/20 Black Summer fires impacted over 100 of Victoria’s most significant historic heritage places across the State, in particular in and around the north-east, the Bushfire Recovery Heritage Program was established by State Government as part of the recovery response.
In June and October 2021, severe storms and floods affected heritage sites across the State and as a result, the scope of the initial program was expanded.
In response to these emergencies, Heritage Victoria:
- Assesses heritage places affected by disaster events. This includes bushfires, floods, storms, wind events and even earthquakes.
- Provides advice to heritage asset owners and managers about proceeding with repairs.
- Delivers projects contributing to heritage recovery and public safety goals.
For more information on Heritage Victoria’s emergency and bushfire recovery program, please refer to the below link: Emergency and bushfire recovery program (heritage.vic.gov.au)