31 January 2025
Victoria’s heritage took centre stage on 31/01/2025 when the Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, announced the addition of the Victorian Goldfields to Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List.
From First Peoples living on Country, to the Goldrush and subsequent waves of immigration, the region’s unique history is set for global recognition.
This announcement marks a significant milestone that confirms the Victorian Goldfields to be a strong candidate for World Heritage Listing. Inclusion on the World Heritage List is reserved for sites of Outstanding Universal Value to humanity.
Being added to Australia’s Tentative List is a step on the road to World Heritage Listing. It’s a placeholder as the story of the Victorian Goldfields is further developed. It has no legal impacts.
The Victorian Goldfields must remain on Australia’s Tentative List for at least a year before being nominated for World Heritage Listing. The earliest this could occur is 1 February 2026.
The Tentative Listing comprises six sites. Some locations that are part of the bid haven’t been captured in the Tentative Listing. This doesn’t mean they have been excluded. How the Victorian Goldfields is represented will evolve over time.
This achievement is the result of a partnership between fifteen councils, Traditional Owner groups, and the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments.
Local and international experts agree that the Victorian Goldfields is the most extensive goldrush landscape in the world.
World Heritage Listing will share this extraordinary story on the world stage, bringing social, cultural and economic benefits to our communities.
More information about the addition of the Victorian Goldfields to Australia’s World Heritage Tentative List can be found on our National and World heritage page.
Page last updated: 12/02/25