Conservation Programmes

Restoration Programmes and Advisory Services
The heritage section of the Department of Planning and housing has in the past helped to establish heritage advisory services in many areas, providing an experienced conservation architect who can provide answers to restoration or development questions or advise the City on planning applications, on a periodical basis (weekly, fortnightly). the department has no policy on financial assistance for these schemes however.1

Given planning permit requirements placed on ratepayers and the scarcity of experienced conservation architects, this is a service which can satisfy the problems met by applicants without causing them undue expense.

This is of particular assistance in the continuing assessment of identified sites which undergo change and the discovery of new sites. applications for conservation funding are also assisted by advisers and hence may achieve a higher success rate.

Recommendation
Council should provide for a heritage advisor to give free technical and design advice to owners of affected site and council officers in administration of conservation aspects of the planning scheme and council's own works programme.

Australian Heritage Commission National Estate Grants Programme
This is administered by the Department of Conservation and Environment such that fund allocation is done at State government level. Municipalities can gain funding for a wide range of conservation projects for National Estate Registered sites. Contact: Department of Conservation and Environment, 240 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, 3002 (412 4011).

Recommendation
Council should form a committee of interested councillors and representatives of local groups to, among consideration of other heritage issues, investigate projects and priorities for grant applications (ie. Frankston heritage advisory committee).

Community Library Programmes
Municipal libraries commonly have local history collections which are more freely available for students and ratepayers than local private or voluntary museums. Among the typical programmes which could be adopted are:

• Acquisition of all of the publications listed in the Restoration Guidelines bibliography of this volume;
• Continuing acquisition of State Library of Victoria and other micro-fiche collections ie., Melbourne University architects index and relevant maps from the Central Plans Office historical plan collection;
• Setting up an oral history resource (in conjunction with the municipal library and historical society) which includes interviewing, transcription, indexing and publication;
• Set up a continuing picture collection acquisition programme based on. copying resident's old photographs, indexing and publication.

Recommendation
Council should investigate fund expansion of the local history collection and its accessibility to the community, reinforcing public awareness, eg., identification of significance of buildings on rate notices, local heritage award schemes, voluntary panels of local residents to provide architectural or historic advice, local heritage plaques on buildings, and development of heritage walking trails.