Before you buy
Checking heritage listings before you buy
Check both the state heritage register and the council's heritage controls for the address. A listing means changes need approval.
Key points
- Run the check for the exact lot, not the suburb.
- Each state keeps this information in a different place; the table below says where.
- A clear result on a register or map is not proof there is no risk.
- General information, not legal, planning or insurance advice: confirm with your conveyancer or solicitor before you sign.
The short answer
Check both the state heritage register and the local council's heritage controls: they are separate lists with different approvals. In Victoria, a place on the Victorian Heritage Register is dealt with by Heritage Victoria, while a local Heritage Overlay is dealt with by the council. (Heritage Victoria, verified 22 Oct 2026)
What to search in each state
Where to look for the exact address, checked against each official source on 22 October 2026. A blank on a register or map is not the same as no risk; the next section says why.
| State | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Victoria | The planning property report shows any Heritage Overlay and whether the place is on the Victorian Heritage Register. (Planning Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning), verified 29 Jul 2026) |
| New South Wales | Search the State Heritage Inventory, which maps State Heritage Register items and items listed in council local environmental plans. (Heritage NSW, verified 22 Oct 2026) |
| Queensland | Search the Queensland Heritage Register (Queensland Government, verified 22 Oct 2026) and the council's planning scheme overlays (Brisbane's include heritage). (Brisbane City Council, verified 12 Aug 2026) |
| Western Australia | PlanWA includes heritage layers for any parcel, (Government of Western Australia (Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage), verified 12 Aug 2026) and Landgate's Property Interest Report shows whether a property is heritage-listed. (Landgate, verified 22 Oct 2026) |
| South Australia | SAPPA shows the Planning and Design Code overlays for an address. (PlanSA (Department for Housing and Urban Development), verified 22 Oct 2026) Not confirmed from a current official source for this guide: the SA Heritage Register page could not be read on 22 October 2026. |
Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory are not covered by this guide yet.
What each result means
The place is on a state heritage register
In Victoria you must engage with Heritage Victoria about any proposed changes, keep the place from falling into disrepair, and notify Heritage Victoria within 28 days of buying it. (Heritage Victoria, verified 22 Oct 2026)
A local heritage control applies
Victoria's Heritage Overlay exists to ensure development does not adversely affect the significance of heritage places, (Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria), verified 27 Sep 2026) and the council is responsible for heritage approvals under it. (Heritage Victoria, verified 22 Oct 2026) Read the overlay schedule for this property before you plan any work.
No listing found
Heritage lists are updated over time; Heritage NSW recommends checking with the council or state agency for the latest information. (Heritage NSW, verified 22 Oct 2026)
Check a Victorian address
Delora's Address Check shows the zone and every planning overlay on a Victorian lot, grouped into flood, bushfire, heritage and contamination, with how much of the lot each one covers. It is built from Vicmap Planning, the state's planning data; confirm anything that matters with a planning property report and your conveyancer.
Common questions
How do I know if a house is heritage listed?
Check the state heritage register and the council's planning controls. In Victoria a planning property report from VicPlan shows both.
Can I renovate a heritage listed house?
In Victoria, changes to a place on the state register go through Heritage Victoria, and work under a local Heritage Overlay through the council.
Practical checklist
Heritage: before you sign
- Check the state register and the council's heritage controls for the exact address
- If listed, read what the listing says is significant about the place
- Price any planned renovation with the heritage approval in the timeline
Questions for a professional
- Is this property on a state heritage register or covered by a local heritage control?
- Would the changes I have in mind need a heritage permit or approval?
Official resources
- Heritage Victoria: buying a heritage property
- NSW State Heritage Inventory
- Queensland Heritage Register
Important limitations: General information only, not legal, planning, environmental or insurance advice, and not a search of any property. Registers and maps change; check the official source for the exact address and ask a conveyancer, solicitor or the relevant authority before you rely on a result. Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory are not covered yet.
Sources and methodology
- Buying a heritage property | Heritage Victoria — Heritage Victoria (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site
- Planning property report — Planning Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning) (retrieved 29 Jul 2026, last checked 31 Jul 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- Using VicPlan — Planning Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning) (retrieved 29 Jul 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- State Heritage Inventory | NSW Environment and Heritage — Heritage NSW (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
- About the Queensland Heritage Register | Queensland Government — Queensland Government (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site
- City Plan online — Brisbane City Council (retrieved 12 Aug 2026). Licence: Government content, reproduced for research/citation purposes
- View planning data on PlanWA — Government of Western Australia (Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage) (retrieved 12 Aug 2026). Licence: Western Australian Government content, reproduced for research/citation purposes
- Property interests in WA | Landgate — Landgate (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site
- South Australian Property and Planning Atlas | PlanSA — PlanSA (Department for Housing and Urban Development) (retrieved 22 Oct 2026). Reuse terms: see the publisher's site
- Clause 43.01 Heritage Overlay | Victoria Planning Provisions — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) (retrieved 27 Sep 2026). Licence: CC BY 4.0
Figures on this page are drawn from Delora's local knowledge graph, refreshed from these primary sources and checked for changes on a regular schedule. If a figure here looks out of date, the official source above is always the authority — please let us know.
Evidence record