GUIDES

Heritage, environmental and planning guides for WA

Plain, sourced explanations of the approvals, surveys and rules that shape projects in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Each guide lists its primary sources.

All guides Heritage Environmental Planning

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TRACE ARCHAEOLOGY

Heritage

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Ground penetrating radar survey by Trace Archaeology

October 16, 2026

GPR for unmarked graves

How GPR surveys work in WA cemeteries, what they can and can't show about unmarked graves, and the legal steps if graves or human remains are found.

Heritage place assessed for a heritage impact statement in WA

October 16, 2026

Heritage impact statements

What a heritage impact statement is, when WA decision-makers expect one, and what the Heritage Council's July 2026 guide asks it to cover.

Historic limestone building with an Australian flag

October 16, 2026

Is my place heritage listed?

How to check if a WA property is on the State Register, a local Heritage List or in a heritage area, and what a listing means for works and approvals.

Trace Archaeologists & Anthropologists conducting an Indigenous Heritage Survey on a rocky, arid hillside under a blue sky

November 12, 2025

Managing heritage constraints

When a site carries both Aboriginal and historic heritage constraints, an integrated compliance strategy avoids delays. How Trace manages both.

Trace Consultants undertaking Archaeological Survey

November 29, 2024

What heritage consultants do

What heritage consultants in WA do: Aboriginal and historic heritage surveys, assessments, conservation plans and approvals support.

Aboriginal Heritage Survey - Trace Enterprises

September 20, 2024

Heritage approvals in WA

A step-by-step guide to Aboriginal heritage approvals in WA under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972, from desktop review to a Section 18 notice.

Aerial view of a survey area

September 7, 2024

Types of heritage surveys

The main types of Aboriginal heritage survey in WA, from work area and work program clearances to site avoidance and site identification surveys.

TRACE ECOLOGY

Environmental

Environmental Approvals WA Trace Enterprises

Environmental approvals in WA

A step-by-step guide to environmental approvals in WA: when you need one, who decides, the assessment process, timelines, costs and pitfalls.

Malleefowl recorded during a Trace Ecology habitat assessment and monitoring program

August 21, 2026

Malleefowl, WA's mound builder

Malleefowl are listed Vulnerable in WA and federally. See how mound and track surveys, motion cameras and LiDAR confirm presence before development.

Black cockatoo perched in a eucalypt tree in south-west Western Australia

WA's threatened black cockatoos

WA is home to three threatened black cockatoo species found nowhere else. Learn what's protected, and how Trace can help before you clear land.

Dingo recorded during a Trace flora and fauna survey

October 6, 2025

Navigating the green tape

How environmental consultants help Perth projects through WA approvals, from early constraints and surveys to ongoing compliance and reporting.

Trace fauna survey in the Pilbara

September 25, 2025

Biodiversity in urban growth

Why flora and fauna surveys matter in WA’s urban growth areas, and how they support planning approvals and lower risk for developers.

Helicopter supporting a remote field survey

Ecology in sustainable mining

Discover how environmental consultants guide mining companies towards sustainable practices, from impact assessments to land rehabilitation.

TRACE PLANNING

Planning

Subdivision of land | Trace Enterprises

Subdividing in WA: a guide

How subdivision works in WA, step by step: feasibility, WAPC application, conditions, clearance and new titles. From Perth subdivision planners.

Aerial view of a residential suburb

October 16, 2026

R-Codes explained: R20 to R40

What R20, R30 and R40 mean in WA, the minimum and average site areas in the R-Codes, how dual coding works and how to find your R-Code.

Aerial view of a Perth suburb with large residential blocks

September 1, 2026

The 700sqm rule explained

WA's R-Codes reform could make 50,000 Perth blocks subdividable at 700sqm. What's proposed, when it starts, and the constraints that still apply to your lot.

A Venn diagram illustration of three overlapping circles labeled 'Heritage,' 'Environmental,' and 'Town Planning' to represent our integrated services solution.

September 12, 2025

Integrated approvals in WA

Heritage, environmental and planning approvals from one team: why an integrated approach saves time and surprises on WA development projects.

Development Applications Trace Enterprises

How town planners help

What a town planner does on a development project, from zoning and R-Codes to the development application and council liaison.

Affordable Housing in WA

Housing affordability in WA

How strategic town planning, from zoning and density to diverse housing types, can improve housing affordability in Western Australia.

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