The Trust works with local communities and decision makers to conserve important aspects of our historic built and natural environment.

The Trust has been involved with countless campaigns to save important places since its inception in 1956, beginning with the purchase of Como. About 10,000 people rallied to save Rippon Lea in Elsternwick in the 1960s, and Trust campaigns saved the bulk of the Capitol Theatre in 1966. The Domed Banking Chamber at 333 Collins and the former National Bank at 271 Collins were saved from demolition in the 1970s, as were the Rialto buildings and Her Majesty’s Theatre in the 1980s. In the 1990s, National Trust campaigns included the successful fight to prevent high-rise buildings on the foreshore of the bay, the demolition of terraces in Carlton by the University of Melbourne, and highlighted the importance of the W Class trams. We have also campaigned for planning changes, resulting in Australia’s first State Heritage Act in 1974, and the ability of local Councils to list places for their heritage value in the late 1970s. The Trust has also been a leader in identifying valuable landscapes and campaigning for their preservation since the 1970s, and began the Significant Tree Register in 1981, still the most comprehensive such list.

The Trust positions itself as the 'honest broker' keeping the doors open to decision makers at the highest level. Because of its standing and expertise on the full breadth of heritage issues, the Trust is often able to bridge the gap between the community and the developers, politicians and public authorities. This allows the Trust to champion the views of not just the Trust and its members but also the full breadth of like-minded community groups.

The Trust relies on membership subscriptions to fund its advocacy; and the contribution of volunteers to carry out the work. For information on becoming a member of the National Trust, click here or on the Membership link in the menu.