A $5,000 Bracks Government heritage grant will help the Corangamite Shire Council protect and preserve its local heritage, as part of a $240,000 grants package dedicated to local governments across the State, Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP announced today.
The $240,000 grants package will fund local heritage studies across Victoria, as part of the second round in the Bracks Government’s $2.5 million heritage grants program for 2006-07, under its four-year , $20.5 million strategy, Victoria’s Heritage: Strengthening Our Communities.
Ms. Tierney said the $5,000 grant for Corangamite Shire will allow the Council to transfer its heritage studies onto an electronic database.
“Corangamite Shire Council has already undertaken significant work to better understand its local heritage assets and develop conservation plans for the future,” Ms. Tierney said.
“This funding will ensure the information collected is recorded effectively and accessible to the wider community, so the understanding of our historic places continues to grow.”
Four other councils also received funding for the digitisation of their heritage studies.
Heritage studies are divided into three stages:
Stage 1 involves the identification of potential heritage sites in a specified study area;
Stage 2 involves the actual assessment and documentation of the sites outlined in Stage 1; and
Stage 3 is the application of appropriate planning controls to protect the site, usually via a heritage overlay.
“Victoria’s heritage is managed in a variety of ways, through volunteers, through community organisations and through individuals,” Ms. Tierney said.
“However, local councils play a vital role in the protection of heritage sites and I am pleased to announce this funding today to ensure that Corangamite Shire Council is supported in this work.”
Other heritage study grants announced for local governments in Victoria include:
Benalla Rural City: $5,000 for the digitisation of heritage data.
Cardinia Shire: $20,000 for stage 2 of a local heritage study and $8,000 for a significant tree study.
Darebin City Council: $20,000 for the Darebin Heritage Study and $5,000 for the digitisation of heritage data.
City of Greater Shepparton: $17,000 for stage 2 of a local heritage study.
Mildura Rural City: $35,000 for stage 1 of a local heritage study.
Murrindindi Shire: $40,000 for stage 2 of a local heritage study.
South Gippsland Shire: $5,000 for the digitisation of heritage data.
City of Whittlesea: $20,000 for an archaeological study, $20,000 for stage 2 of a local heritage study and $5,000 for the digitisation of heritage data.
Yarriambiack Shire: $35,000 for stage 1 of a local heritage study.