Australian Heritage Photo Library
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

Since 1976, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, has compiled Heritage Lists of the outstanding and lesser-known heritage places in Australia. The Heritage lists cover World Heritage, National Heritage and Commonwealth Heritage.

The Australian Heritage Photographic Library maintains a collection of more than 130,000 images. This collection is an outstanding source of information about Australia's historic, natural and cultural heritage places. Of these, about 19,500 images of places on all of the Heritage Lists are available in the Australian Heritage Photo Library. These images illustrate the story of who we are and how this land has taken shape and given Australia its very particular identity.

Images under the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts are available for commercial and non-commercial use. Minimal fees are charged for educational uses. Many images are owned by individual photographers and may not be available.

Each photograph is linked to detailed heritage information available on the Australian Heritage Database which includes a description and a statement of significance.

Places are listed on the Heritage Lists for their rarity, evolutionary status, historic significance, representative, research potential, aesthetic qualities, technical attributes and or social values. Listing of heritage places on the World Heritage, National Heritage and Commonwealth Heritage lists is the official recognition of its heritage importance.

Indigenous places

The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has an Indigenous Places Policy where photographs and information about many Indigenous places are not available via the Internet. The Department is consulting with traditional owners to gradually include information on these places.

For inquiries about the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts contact:

Imaging Services Section
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
GPO Box 787
CANBERRA ACT 2601 Australia
phone +61 (0)2 6274 2076
fax +61 (0)2 6274 2360
email imaging.services@environment.gov.au
web http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/

Pennyweight Flat Childrens' Cemetery; Blair, S; Australian Heritage Photo LibraryS. Blair
Pennyweight Flat Childrens' Cemetery
Photograph from the Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Australian Heritage Photo Library