Australian heritage places inventory facts for kids

The Australian Heritage Places Inventory (AHPI) was like a big online list of special historical and natural places in Australia. It was a huge online database that kept track of important sites across the country, from old buildings to beautiful natural areas. These places were listed in special heritage registers by different states, territories, and the Australian government. The AHPI helped people find out about these amazing places.

The database was supported by a part of the Australian government called the Heritage, Reef and Marine Division of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. However, in 2020, they stopped supporting the database, and it was taken offline.

What Was the Australian Heritage Places Inventory?

The Australian Heritage Places Inventory, or AHPI, was a central place where you could find information about thousands of heritage sites across Australia. Think of it as a digital library for Australia's most important places. It brought together details from many different heritage lists.

Why Was the AHPI Important?

The AHPI was important because it made it easier for people to learn about and protect Australia's heritage. It helped students, researchers, and anyone interested in history or nature to discover places that were officially recognized as special. This knowledge helps us understand and value our past and natural environment.

Who Contributed to the AHPI?

The AHPI gathered information from many different heritage registers across Australia. Each state and territory had its own list of special places, and the AHPI brought all that information together in one spot.

Which Heritage Registers Were Included?

Here are some of the main heritage registers that shared their information with the AHPI:

• ACT Heritage Register (for the Australian Capital Territory)
• Western Australian Register of Heritage Places
• Northern Territory Heritage Register (NT)
• New South Wales State Heritage Register
• Queensland Heritage Register
• Register of the National Estate (a former national list of important places)
• South Australian Heritage Register
• Tasmanian Heritage Register
• Victorian Heritage Register

Why Is the AHPI No Longer Online?

In 2020, the government department that supported the AHPI decided to stop funding it. This meant the database could no longer be maintained, and so it was taken down from the internet. While the central AHPI database is gone, the individual state and territory heritage registers still exist and continue to list and protect important places.