New Victorian Cultural Heritage Management Plan Guidelines released
First Peoples – State Relations has released new Cultural Heritage Management Plan Guidelines, providing updated guidance for everyone involved in Victoria’s CHMP system. GML’s Manager of Archaeology in Victoria, Leah Tepper, explains the changes.
The new Cultural Heritage Management Plan Guidelines are now in effect and apply to all new and in-preparation Cultural Heritage Management Plans across Victoria.
The Guidelines follow a two-year internal review of the CHMP system by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, undertaken in consultation with Registered Aboriginal Parties, Heritage Advisors, Sponsors, State Government departments, industry peak bodies and Local Government Agencies.
The review found that CHMPs were not always operating as efficiently or effectively as intended, and that clearer guidance could support more consistent processes, make better use of time and resources, and improve Aboriginal cultural heritage outcomes.
What has changed?
The Guidelines place greater emphasis on early engagement, agreed methods and clearer expectations throughout the CHMP process. This includes encouraging pre-application meetings between Sponsors and RAPs, producing preliminary Statements of Sensitivity during the Notice of Intent period, and reaching explicit agreement about standard and complex assessment strategies and fieldwork participation conduct.
The Guidelines also support the use of predictive modelling to inform decisions about excavation and salvage, and set out minimum obligations for participants and decision makers involved in the CHMP process.
A stronger focus on collaboration and dispute resolution
A new dispute resolution and assistance process, facilitated by the Department of Premier and Cabinet, can now be commenced during the preparation or evaluation of a CHMP, or following refusal of a CHMP. This is intended to help parties resolve issues earlier and reduce the need to escalate matters to the Victorian Civil and Administative Tribunal (VCAT) or the courts where appropriate.
Guiding principles
The Guidelines are founded on six principles, including self-determination and free, prior and informed consent; recognition of RAPs as the primary CHMP decision-makers; the protection and management of Aboriginal heritage by avoiding harm; support for appropriate investment, land use and development; the lead role of Heritage Advisors in designing methods and preparing high-quality reports; and a shared expectation that all parties act in good faith.
These principles signal an ongoing shift toward more collaborative, transparent and outcomes-focused CHMP processes, with better heritage decisions supported by agreed methods, clearer roles and explicitly linked CHMP conditions.
Better heritage outcomes
Good cultural heritage management depends on genuine collaboration: deep listening, respectful compromise, creative problem-solving and a willingness to value different perspectives and understand why they matter. This approach leads to clearer processes, stronger relationships and better heritage outcomes.
For advice regarding CHMPs, please contact GML’s experienced team of Heritage Advisors. Our Victorian team members are listed Heritage Advisors under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 and bring extensive experience preparing CHMPs for a wide range of Sponsors. We combine technical rigour with a collaborative, practical approach, working with RAPs, project teams and approval authorities to support transparent processes and robust cultural heritage outcomes.
