Establishing significance. Informing decisions.
A historic heritage assessment is a formal evaluation of the cultural heritage significance of a place — establishing whether and why a building, site, landscape, structure or area is significant, and to what degree that significance should inform how it is managed, altered or developed. In Western Australia, historic heritage assessments are the foundation of informed heritage decision-making — whether the context is a development application, a local heritage survey, an application for listing on or removal from the State Heritage Register, or the preparation of a conservation management plan.
Trace Archaeology prepares historic heritage assessments for property developers, landowners, architects, local governments, state government agencies and private individuals across WA. Our assessments are prepared by qualified heritage professionals with deep expertise in WA's historic built environment and a thorough understanding of the Heritage Act 2018 (WA), the HERCON criteria and the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter — the frameworks that define how heritage significance is evaluated in Australia.
Our assessments begin with comprehensive archival research and site inspection — establishing the history of the place, identifying its original and successive uses and owners, and documenting the physical fabric, condition and integrity of the place as it exists today. We then evaluate the place against the relevant significance criteria — aesthetic, historic, scientific and social significance — identifying which criteria apply, at what level and why. Our significance conclusions are clearly argued, evidence-based and structured to meet the requirements of the State Heritage Office and local government heritage bodies.
We prepare heritage assessments for places at all stages of the heritage process — from preliminary assessments that provide a first-cut view of significance to support development planning, through to detailed assessments that form the basis of heritage council decisions, local heritage survey nominations and conservation management plans. Where a place is currently listed on a local government heritage schedule and a developer or owner seeks to understand what that listing means for their project, our assessment provides the expert analysis needed to engage constructively with the local government and the State Heritage Office.
Our assessments are written to be accessible to non-specialist readers while meeting the technical standards required by heritage bodies — giving our clients documentation they can rely on for planning approvals, heritage council submissions and development applications across the Perth metropolitan area and regional WA.
Trace Archaeology is a division of Trace Enterprises — Perth's only fully integrated heritage, environmental and planning consultancy.
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Every heritage and environmental project starts with the right conversation.
Whatever your heritage or environmental project needs, Trace Archaeology and Trace Ecology is ready to help. Talk to our team today — no obligation.