The Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 says that Heritage Advisors must hold appropriate qualifications and experience, or extensive experience or knowledge. It also says that the Minister may develop guidelines about this, in consultation with the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.
Minister’s Guidelines on Heritage Advisor Qualifications and Experience were published in the Government Gazette on 22 March 2024. They replace the earlier ‘Minister’s Guidelines on Appropriate Qualifications for Heritage Advisors'.
The Minister’s Guidelines now set out not just the level and type of tertiary qualifications that Heritage Advisors must hold, but also a minimum period of prior practical experience in a cultural heritage management setting in south-eastern Australia.
Certain types of membership of particular professional organisations can also meet the Minister's Guidelines, in place of tertiary qualifications.
There is also an alternative avenue to meeting the Minister's Guidelines for practitioners with ‘extensive experience or knowledge’. This is designed to acknowledge the cultural knowledge and experience that Traditional Owners and First Peoples can bring to the role of being a Heritage Advisor.
Meeting the Minister’s Guidelines is necessary if you want to apply for access as a Heritage Advisor to the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register, including via an account with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Register and Information System (ACHRIS). You also need to meet the Guidelines before you can apply to be on the Heritage Advisor List.
Flowchart on how to become a Heritage Advisor
How to apply to meet the Guidelines
Heritage Advisors can apply to meet the Guidelines by completing and submitting this form:
This application requires you to provide two written references that support your claims to practical experience. These can be either from a senior employee in a Registered Aboriginal Party, or a Heritage Advisor who has met the Guidelines. The following resources are to assist the people you are inviting to be your referees:
How to apply to be on the Heritage Advisor List
Once you have met the Minister’s Guidelines, you can also choose to apply to be on the public Heritage Advisor List. The List is a resource for sponsors, land managers and land-users who wish to engage a Heritage Advisor. Applying to go on the Heritage Advisor List involves agreeing to publicly share information about your qualifications and experience. You must also agree to uphold and abide by the Code of Conduct for Heritage Advisors.
Heritage Advisors who want to be on the Heritage Advisor List must complete and submit this form:
Six-month transition period for existing Heritage Advisors
Existing Heritage Advisors (who have met the previous requirements) will be contacted by First Peoples - State Relations by email and advised what they need to do, if anything, to meet the new Minister’s Guidelines. Many Heritage Advisors will be notified that they are deemed to already meet the Guidelines. Others will have 6 months to demonstrate they meet the minimum experience requirements. Those Heritage Advisors who have not met the Minister’s Guidelines by 22 September 2024 will have their ACHRIS account suspended. However, they may still reapply after that date.
All existing Heritage Advisors will also need to re-apply to continue to be listed on the public Heritage Advisor List beyond the six-month transition period. Existing listings will remain in place during this period. After 22 September 2024, the Heritage Advisor List will only include Heritage Advisors who have re-applied and agreed to abide by the Code of Conduct for Heritage Advisors.
If you are an existing Heritage Advisor and you have any queries about your situation and what you need to do, please email vahr@dpc.vic.gov.au.
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