Developing a new Queensland heritage strategy
Heritage is more than just the past, it’s our legacy. It reflects the stories, connections, places and experiences that have shaped Queensland’s communities. By protecting and celebrating our heritage, we ensure these stories and places are preserved and shared for generations to come.
Queensland’s heritage protection laws are among the oldest in Australia, but they have remained largely unchanged for over 30 years. Queensland’s Heritage Strategy was released in 2015. During this time, the landscape in which heritage exists has evolved significantly, presenting new challenges and opportunities.
To address these changes, we’re developing a new Queensland Heritage Strategy. This strategy will deliver a modern framework that balances the protection of heritage with the need for sustainable growth and development.
The new strategy will succeed the existing strategy and deliver a fresh start for heritage to ensure we are best placed to take necessary and contemporary action to improve our heritage stewardship and guardianship.
Discussion paper
In February and March 2026, Queenslanders were invited to have their say on the development of a new Queensland Heritage Strategy.
The Delivering a fresh start for Queensland's heritage discussion paper 8.9 MB) outlined five key areas for feedback:
- Making heritage more accessible
- Improving stewardship of heritage places and stories
- Celebrating Queensland’s rich heritage
- Optimising the economic and social benefits of heritage
- Enhancing governance and modernising legislation
We also sought feedback on proposed amendments to the Queensland Heritage Act 1992 aimed at streamlining and modernising Queensland’s heritage legislation.
Consultation on the discussion paper is now closed. Feedback from the consultation will be reviewed and will inform the development of a new Queensland Heritage Strategy and proposed amendments to the Queensland Heritage Act.
The submission period for the discussion paper is an early stage of the legislative and policy process. Ongoing engagement will occur following the formal consultation period, to provide further opportunities for input and responses.
Feedback from stakeholders throughout this process will be invaluable for helping to shape a balanced, forward-thinking approach to heritage stewardship in Queensland.
Further information
If you have any questions about the consultation process, please contact us:
HeritageFeedback@detsi.qld.gov.au