Regional communities will be among the key beneficiaries of a new $5.3 million Morrison Government funding round to protect and preserve Australia's national heritage sites, promote tourism and deliver much needed economic stimulus for COVID impacted economies.
Round 3 of the Australian Heritage Funding Grants Program will place a particular focus on conserving privately-owned national heritage places, many of which have faced significant visitor downturn and temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heritage site owners, managers and support organisations are invited to apply for grants of between $25,000 and $400,000 as Australians focus more and more on domestic tourism opportunities.
Funding can be used for a range of activities to protect and strengthen the natural, historic and cultural values of a site, or to enhance visitor experiences that encourage people to share our national heritage treasures.
The story of our national heritage listed places is one we encourage all Australians to get out and share, from Indigenous sites to the Parkes Observatory and its 'dish' which recently became the 118th national heritage listed place.
The second round of funding supported 30 successful projects in 2019-20, including:
• conservation work on the historic Antarctic Mawson's Huts site
• protection of a 600 million-year-old fossil site on an outback station in South Australia
• resilience work to support the ancient Gondwana Rainforests in NSW and Queensland
• a monitoring system for the Upland Swamps of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, to improve water retention and ecological function.
These projects are already making a difference to ensure our heritage is more resilient and adaptable.
The new round of grants complements the $33.5 million package recently announced to support heritage infrastructure projects as part of the Australian Government's $1 billion COVID Relief and Recovery Fund.
