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Protecting our heritage
Our city’s heritage is more than just old buildings—it’s the stories, traditions, landmarks, and landscapes that make Wyndham special.
But as our community grows and evolves, some of these treasures are at risk of being lost. Making sure the heritage protections in our planning scheme are correct and up-to-date is important to ensure we can protect Wyndham’s heritage for the benefit of current and future generations and encourage the appropriate development of heritage places.
Information on heritage places that is out of date is putting places at risk of demolition or inappropriate development and placing an additional burden on permit applicants.
We’re reviewing our local heritage listings to ensure they remain accurate, up-to-date, and reflective of the places that matter most to our community.
This will be undertaken in 2 stages:
- Stage 1: 40 citations (April–June 2025)
- Stage 2: 52 citations (August–October 2025)
The Heritage Citations Review is part of the Wyndham Heritage Review, which Council commenced in 2021.
Council has engaged heritage consultants Extent Heritage to review and update existing planning documentation for ninety-two (92) heritage places currently protected in the Wyndham planning scheme through their inclusion in the Heritage Overlay.
The project will involve fieldwork, historical research, and heritage assessments to prepare draft place citations and updated statements of significance.
The consultant will prepare a draft report outlining recommendations such as updated place citation reports, statements of significance, and proposed changes to mapping.
Opportunities to have your say
During Stages 1 and 2, Council will undertake targeted engagement with property owners and historical societies.
Following the completion of Stages 1 and 2, Council will seek feedback from the community and other key stakeholders—including property owners, custodians, and historical societies—on the draft recommendations.
Council will consider submissions before preparing a final report which is expected to be considered by Council in mid-2026.
Next Steps
If adopted by Council and authorised by the Minister for Planning, Council will commence a planning scheme amendment to implement the findings of the Heritage Citations Review into the Wyndham Planning Scheme.
This stage of the project will look at 40 existing places in the Heritage Overlay, listed here. You can also view them via the map below.
- HO7 Hegarty’s House - 24 Ballan Road Werribee
- HO11 Evans House - 725 Boundary Road, Truganina
- HO14 House - 780 Bulban Road Werribee
- HO17 Corpus Christi gates - Chirnside Ave (cnr Russell Street), Werribee
- HO20 Werribee Guides Hall - Soldiers Reserve, College Road, Werribee
- HO23 Cottrell Street Sports and Physio Centre - 90 Cottrell Street Werribee
- HO24 Racecourse Hotel - 78-80 Cottrell Street Werribee
- HO28 Robertson Farm - CA G Sec 22 Psh Tarneit, Derrimut Road, Tarneit
- HO30 Wine Cellars - Derrimut Road, Tarneit
- HO31 Werribee Primary School - 2 Deutgam Street Werribee
- HO32 Villa Franca - 35-39 Deutgam Street Werribee
- HO39 Truganina Cemetery 1 and HO39 Truganina Cemetery 2 - Woods Road, Truganina
- HO44 Kurrajong trees - Road reserve - Duncans Road, Werribee
- HO57 Powell Shops and Service Station - 5 & 7 Glen Street Werribee
- HO58 Houses - 63-65 Greaves Street Werribee
- HO62 Hogan House - Lot 3 Hogans Road, Tarneit
- HO77 Werribee Cemetery - Railway Avenue Werribee
- HO79 House former police paddocks - 1-3 Rainsford Street Werribee
- HO89 Roland Carter House - 51-59 Russell Street Werribee
- HO94 Former Picture Palais - 15-19 Station Place, Werribee
- HO97 Muswell - 9-11 Synnot Street, Werribee
- HO98 St Thomas Church of England - 119-121 Synnot Street Werribee
- HO99 Police House former - 129 Synnot Street Werribee
- HO101 Sumiya - 6 Wattamolla Avenue Werribee
- HO103 Little House - 56-58 Wattle Avenue, Reserve on Bowery Court and 77, 85 & 87 Wattle Avenue Werribee
- HO105 Troup Park and Weighbridge - Watton Street, Werribee
- HO106 War memorial - Cnr Watton Street and Station Place
- HO107 Deney’s Clock - Cnr Watton Street and Station Place, Werribee
- HO110 Former Shire Hall - 49 Watton Street, Werribee
- HO111 Milk Bar and Bolero Cards and Gifts - 63-65 Watton Street Werribee
- HO112 Commercial Hotel - 101-111 Watton Street Werribee
- HO113 Bridge Hotel - 197-199 Watton Street Werribee
- HO114 Silver Birches - 211 Watton Street Werribee
- HO115 Masonic Centre - 223 Watton Street, Werribee
- HO116 House - 23-25 Wedge Street South Werribee
- HO117 House - 36 Wedge Street Werribee
- HO118 Rockleigh - 111 Werribee Street, Werribee
- HO119 Skeleton Creek Water Reserve and Water Holes - Pt CA 3 Sec 15 Psh Truganina, Woods Road Truganina
- HO125 Truganina ARP Hall - Woods Road, Truganina
- HO131 Wesleyan Chapel site - 911 Boundary Road, Truganina
Council is consulting with the area’s Registered Aboriginal Parties, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation and Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, to seek input into the project. Council also invites other Traditional Owners and First Peoples in Wyndham to provide feedback on the Heritage Citations Review through the Loop.
How to get involved
Engagement will open in early 2026, when we will ask for your feedback on draft documentation including citations and statements of significance. Click 'follow' at the top of this page to keep up to date as the project progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Council has engaged qualified heritage consultancy Extent Heritage to review the planning documentation and mapping for approximately 92 heritage places in the Heritage Overlay.
The need to undertake this project was identified in the Wyndham Heritage Review (Gap Study) Stage 1, adopted by Council in June 2021.
The places included in the Heritage Citations Review have been selected based on the recommendations of the Wyndham Heritage Review (Gap Study) Stage 1, which was adopted in Council in June 2021.
Many of the citations being reviewed were prepared in 1997 for the Heritage of the City of Wyndham report.
The first stage of the Heritage Citations Review will review 40 existing places in the Heritage Overlay, primarily located in Werribee, Truganina and Tarneit.
The remaining citations will be reviewed later in 2025.
A heritage citation is a short report by a qualified heritage expert on a significant place that is used to guide planning decisions.
It includes a description of the heritage place and its setting, historical information, assessment against heritage criteria, comparative analysis with other similar places, and a statement of significance outlining its heritage values.
Heritage citations are prepared in line with guidelines provided by the State government.
Council is reviewing heritage citations for existing places in the Heritage Overlay to fulfill its requirements under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to conserve and enhance places of heritage significance. Many of the citations for heritage places in Wyndham were prepared in 1997 and need to be reviewed and updated in line with current state government requirements.
This project will update planning documentation and mapping for places in the Heritage Overlay and provide greater certainty to landowners and the community regarding the protection of Wyndham’s significant heritage places.
Council will be notifying all affected landowners of the project. Our consultants will be visiting each property to verify its heritage features and condition and determine whether there have been any changes or alterations.
Council may request access to the property so the consultant can survey the building(s), and any gardens, landscaping and trees listed in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay. If permission for access is not provided by the landowner, an inspection will be undertaken from the street or public realm, if possible.
The consultant will then undertake an assessment and prepare updated documentation for public consultation. Landowners and the broader community will have an opportunity to review draft documentation and provide feedback. Feedback will be reviewed by the consultants and incorporated where relevant.
The draft documentation will then be provided to Council for adoption and approval will be sought for the commencement of a Planning Scheme Amendment to include the updated documentation in the planning scheme.
The Heritage Overlay is a planning control found at Clause 43.01 of all planning schemes in Victoria. A Heritage Overlay can be applied to precincts, individual buildings, land, gardens, trees or other items of heritage significance.
The schedule to the Heritage Overlay contains a list of places in Wyndham covered by a Heritage Overlay.
The purpose of the Overlay is to encourage the conservation and enhancement heritage places and trigger a requirement for a planning permit so the impact of proposed development on the heritage values of the place can be properly considered. A planning permit may be required for demolition, subdivision and works that change the appearance of the heritage place.
The Heritage Overlay is a tool to manage change rather than to stop development or the ongoing use of heritage places.
What the Heritage Overlay protects will depend on which features of your property are considered significant. The Statement of Significance and Schedule to the Heritage Overlay lists which elements are significant.
A Heritage Overlay also covers the setting, being the immediate and extended environment of a place that is part of or contributes to its cultural significance and distinctive character.
A planning permit isn’t required for general maintenance and repairs to a heritage place, provision of services such as water tanks, air conditioning units or other dwelling services which are not visible from the street, repainting or repairing a building in the same materials and colours, or internal alterations of buildings (unless stated in the schedule to the Heritage Overlay).
The places being reviewed are currently protected by their inclusion in the Heritage Overlay https://planning-schemes.app.planning.vic.gov.au/Wyndham/ordinance
Places won’t be removed from the Heritage Overlay without a heritage-based justification or proper process. A Planning Scheme Amendment, generally subject to public exhibition and the approval of Council and the Minister for Planning, is required to change or remove the Heritage Overlay.
Council will consider the consultant’s recommendations on updating the Heritage Overlay, and may seek to amend the Wyndham Planning Scheme to make changes to the Heritage Overlay where places no longer meet the threshold for protection, or where the extent of the Heritage Overlay needs to be updated.
A Planning Scheme Amendment will also be required to include statements of significance for each place in the planning scheme, in line with State government requirements.
Affected landowners will be notified of any proposed changes to the Heritage Overlay, and opportunities to provide feedback will be provided.
Council is currently seeking early input on the Heritage Citations Review from affected landowners and key knowledge-holders including the Werribee District Historical Society and Little River Historical Society.
Council will seek broad community feedback on the findings of the Heritage Citations Review, including draft citations, via the Loop in early-2026. All affected landowners will be notified.
Once the documentation has been finalised following community consultation, it will be provided to Council for adoption.
There will be another opportunity for the community to have a say if Council requests a planning scheme amendment to include the documentation in the planning scheme, and this is authorised for exhibition by the Minister for Planning.
