Register of the National Estate

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The Register of the National Estate is a listing of natural and cultural heritage places in Australia. The listing was initially compiled between 1976 and 2003 by the Australian Heritage Commission.^[1] The register is now maintained by the Australian Heritage Council. 13,000 places are listed.

The expression "national estate" was first used by the British architect Clough Williams-Ellis, and reached Australia in the 1970s.^[2] It was incorporated into the Australian Heritage Commission Act^[3] and is used to describe a collection of buildings and sites that are worthy of preservation for a variety of reasons. It covers natural environments as well as European history and Aboriginal culture.

Anyone can suggest that a certain site should be listed on the Register of the National Estate. A nomination form is provided and is then submitted to an expert group for evaluation. If a place is accepted for listing, the nomination is declared in the Commonwealth Gazette and newspapers. The Heritage Council eventually makes a decision after the public has had time to comment and raise possible objections. The listing, if it takes place, is based on an assessment of the values of the nominated place, whether "aesthetic, historic, scientific, or social significance, or other special value".^[4]

A listing on the Register requires that a Commonwealth Minister or authority should not take any course of action that will adversely affect the listed subjects unless there is no alternative; in the latter case, the Minister is obliged to take steps to minimise any effect on the listed subject.^[5] The listing does not impose any legal obligations on private owners, companies, State governments or local governments. The Australian Heritage Council must always be consulted if any government wants to take a course of action that may have an adverse effect on a listed subject. The Council itself cannot make decisions on a proposed course of action; such decisions are made by the Federal Minister or the relevant authority contemplating any such course of action.^[6]

Shrine of Rembrance, Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales	St David's Cathedral, Hobart, Tasmania	Exchange Hotel, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia	Aboriginal paintings, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory
War Memorial, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory	Adelaide Town Hall, South Australia	The Rialto, Melbourne, Victoria	Old Government House, Brisbane, Queensland