Heritage Strategy and Updated Heritage Policy

Image 1: Interview with Catherine Parsons as part of Seniors Festival 2025.

Stories that shaped you in Cessnock City

We are inviting our community to share the stories that have shaped them and shaped Cessnock City over the years. Heritage includes places, the natural environment, people and objects and their embedded stories which are valued by our community.

By coming together as a community to share what heritage means to us, we will help to develop the principles, refine the vision and create the action of the Heritage Strategy which protects our stories and our shared history.

Share your story with us

• Post your story digitally here
• Email us your story to council@cessnock.nsw.gov.au and use "Heritage Strategy Stories" in the subject field
• Have a conversation with us - email the engagement team via together@cessnock.nsw.gov.au, let us know a time that suits you and provide your phone number so we may give you a call

Image 2: Painting a 'Journey Through Time', created by local school students and artist Steven Campbell at Cessnock City Library 2023

About the project

Heritage is a diverse and dynamic, fundamental to cultural identity and sense of place, and beneficial to community cohesion, wellbeing, environmental sustainability and tourism.

Community voices deepen this understanding by helping to identify what is of heritage significance, ensuring that the cultural places and stories of the Cessnock local government area are protected, conserved and celebrated for everyone now and into the future.

Council has a legal and ethical responsibility for managing and regulating local heritage. It needs to be effectively identified, protected, supported and promoted to ensure the heritage values of places significant to the people of the Cessnock LGA are maintained and conserved for current and future generations.

Image 3: Interview with Lyne Chant as part of Seniors Festival 2025.

Draft vision for the Heritage Strategy

The vision for Cessnock City Heritage Strategy is:

"By 2030, Cessnock City Council will be a leader in local government heritage management, delivering outstanding services to the community in a manner that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, while respecting the diversity and protecting the cultural values of local heritage significant to the people of the Cessnock local government area.

Cessnock City Councilʼs heritage assets under its care and control will be effectively regulated and managed with integrity, underpinned by the principles of the Burra Charter and best practice. Council will work in partnership with the local community to identify, understand, protect and, conserve, celebrate and promote the regionʼs rich cultural heritage places and stories for current and future generations. Through these efforts, the regionʼs appeal as a heritage tourism destination will be enhanced, while reinforcing local identity and fostering a cohesive, inclusive and welcoming community living in an attractive and sustainable rural environment."

Image 4: Aerial photo of Kurri Kurri c1949-1950

Did you know?

A significant part of the Cessnock local government area (LGA) is included within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The Australian Government has to ensure that Australia’s world heritage properties are managed to protect their natural and cultural values.

Our region has over 200 heritage items and four heritage conservation areas. They are diverse and reflect our history and culture.

They range from buildings, sandstone kerb and guttering, cemeteries, memorials, and sites associated with local coalfields, to areas of townscape and natural landscape.