The National Trust has classified over 8000 places of cultural heritage significance that includes buildings, trees, landscapes, gardens public art and pipe organs.

Each classified place has an archival file that contains a classification report, historical material, media articles, plans, and photos. The information held on file will vary and copyright and privacy regulations apply. Please note that the National Trust is a private organization and retains the right to withhold any confidential material.

You can access the file by arranging an appointment with the Information Services Officer (03) 9656 9818. Twenty-four hours notice prior to the search is required and the cost of the file search will depend on the nature of the research being undertaken (commercial, government, private, student etc.). If you or your organization is a National Trust Member you can access the file free of charge and this applies to all of our information resources, including the Trust's reference library. You can find out more about the benefits of becoming a member by clicking on the membership link of our home page.

Click on the Trust Register link of our home page to undertake a search. The Register contains all classified places including gardens, landscapes, trees and buildings. Please be advised that the National Trust's register may contain some errors. If you are experiencing difficulty in finding a classified place please contact the Information Services Officer on (03) 9656 9818.

For a formal response regarding classification, a Classification Letter is available from the Information Officer for a fee of $60 plus GST (or $50 plus GST for National Trust Members).

The place may have been nominated to the National Trust and either rejected or the nomination is still being assessed by the expert committees.

The place may be listed by another organization such as Heritage Victoria, the local government authority, the Australian Heritage Council rather than the National Trust. Go to our links page for the contact details of these organisations.

National Trust classification means the place has been recognized for its cultural heritage significance, and efforts should be undertaken to conserve this for future generations. If a classified place becomes threatened, the National Trust will take action to preserve it through advocacy and campaigns. The National Trust also liaises with the government bodies, such as Heritage Victoria, to obtain legal protection for a place and encourages appropriate and sensitive planning in recognized historic precincts, such as Melbourne's inner suburbs.

The National Trust is a community-based, non-government organization, and as such it has no statutory power. However if a place becomes threatened the Trust will campaign and advocate for its protection. You can find out more about current campaigns and how to become involved by accessing the Conservation link on our homepage. Specific campaigns are conducted to save threatened places, to stimulate debate and raise the level of public and government awareness of the need to conserve our heritage.

• If a National Trust classified place is under threat, please contact us.
• We will also advise you to take action, particularly with the local council. The local Council can provide statutory protection through its Planning Scheme, with a Heritage (or other) Overlay. Contact their Planning department to find out more. If the Council has not protected the place, you can encourage it to do so, via the Planning Manager, or even the Mayor, Councillors and CEO.
• You may get support and advice from the local history, residents or Friends groups, or even form a group yourself.
• If you have evidence that the place is of state significance, you may nominate it to Heritage Victoria for State level protection.

Registration by the local Council or Heritage Victoria means that you may need to receive a permit from them for any significant works on a place. A range of minor works are usually exempt from permits, such as rewiring and drapes, but any major works would require a permit. Contact Heritage Victoria on (03) 9637 9475 for further information.

Generally if the local Council lists a place, controls only extend to the exterior and street frontage. You do not normally need a permit for any interior alterations, maintenance or like-for-like repairs. Some Councils require a permit for exterior repainting, fences etc., while others do not, as long as the colours or type of fence are sympathetic to the streetscape character. Contact the Planning department of your local Council for more detailed information.

The National Trust recognizes and supports the invaluable role of the owner in conserving and safeguarding our heritage places for future generations. Our staff will provide advice regarding expert conservation practitioners in Victoria, restoration supplies, National Trust technical publications, and insurers. Although the Trust is unable to offer financial assistance for conservation works, most local Councils and Heritage Victoria offer grants or loan schemes as support.

The National Trust classification process begins with the initial nomination of a significant place or object. The nomination may come from any person, and if you wish to nominate something to the National Trust Register, please go to The Trust Register to download the form and guidelines. The assessment of the nominated place/object will then be undertaken by the relevant expert committee (see who are the expert committees?). The assessment criterion adheres to the internationally recognized conservation principles of the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter. If the expert committee recommends that the nomination be adopted it will then be put forward to the Conservation Advisory Committee for further assessment. Once a classification has been ratified by the Trust Board of Directors then it will be added to the National Trust Register and all relevant parties (owner/nominator/local council) will be notified of its inclusion.

Expert Committees are composed of experts in the relevant field, such as historians, academics and architects, who volunteer their time to assess the suitability of each nomination for the register, and advise on any developments affecting classifications. The National Trust's Expert Committees are as follows:

There are also a number of other specialist committees that contribute to the success and quality of National Trust classifications. These include the Photographic Committee, the Cemeteries Advisory Committee, and the Metal and Timber Bridges Steering Committees.

This depends on a number of factors including when the expert committees meet, the amount of information provided in the nomination form, and the number of nominations received. If a place is under threat then the committees will prioritise the nomination and depending on the circumstances, contact the relevant authorities to advise them that the place is currently being considered for classification. Providing the best and most complete information possible a nomination allows the relevant expert committee to make an assessment and recommendation.

You can also assist in the protection of heritage places in Australia through becoming a member of the National Trust. The support of our members provides an invaluable contribution to the success of our campaigns, such as Point Nepean. As the National Trust is an independent body, neither owned nor funded by government, the major part of its revenue is derived from membership subscriptions, without which it could not continue to function.