Guidance to help protect our heritage places

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) protects listed values of World Heritage properties, National Heritage places, and Commonwealth land. The EPBC Act Self-Assessment guidelines aim to assist with undertaking a heritage self-assessment, informing decisions on referrals for proposed actions that may have significant impacts.

On October 25, 2024, the Department of Climate Change issued guidance to help protect our heritage places. This update aims to provide clarity and support for those making referrals under the EPBC Act.

The guidelines assist with identifying whether significant impacts are likely or not, deciding whether to refer a proposed action, collating baseline information, and providing adequate information to support a decision not to refer if significant impacts are not likely.