Maldon Historic Central Area Review

What is the review of the Maldon Historic Central Area? 

The Maldon central historic area is schedule 445 to the Heritage Overlay (HO445), a heritage overlay precinct in Maldon. The Maldon Historic Central Area Review draft report makes recommendations to update the precinct and boundaries of the precinct and provides compliant heritage information for the area. The review provides the first citation for Maldon’s historic central area (HO445).

What does the review include?

The review provides a full precinct citation of the Maldon central historic area, in accordance with planning practice requirements. The precinct citation includes a locality and place history, description and integrity, comparative analysis, assessment of significance, and specific recommendations and proposed controls and/or permit exemptions.

While no additional heritage overlays are being applied to private properties through this project, existing heritage overlays are being better defined through the information in the review.

The review recommends including Bill Woodfull Reserve within the precinct. The significant components and contributory elements of the heritage precinct are identified in the Statement of Significance, on a precinct map, and in a grading table included in the citation.

What recommendations does the review make?

The review recommends that Mount Alexander Shire Council:

• Formally adopts the heritage citations prepared as part of the Maldon Historic Central Area Precinct Review.
• Implements the recommendations of this study by preparing a planning scheme amendment that will revise the listing of HO445 to the heritage overlay of the Mount Alexander Planning Scheme with the schedule entries as shown in the citation.
• Revised specific controls have been recommended for some individual places in accordance with Planning Practice Note 01.
• Include the Bill Woodfull Reserve within the precinct. This work strengthens the heritage protection for the heart of Maldon and provides detailed and accessible heritage information for use by property owners, planners and heritage consultants.

Who prepared the review?

The review has been prepared by heritage consultancy group, GML Heritage. In addition, as part of the review the consultant employed the expertise of local historian Dr Robyn Ballinger who worked with Maldon Museum and Archives Association (MMAA) members to provide research for the town’s central historic area.

Where can I find a copy of the adopted report?

You can download the adopted report here:

Alternatively, to read a hard copy, visit the Maldon Tourist Information Centre, 93 High Street, Maldon, or visit Council at the Civic Centre, 27 Lyttleton St, Castlemaine VIC 3450.

What are the next steps?

Council adopted the report during it’s April 2025 Meeting. 

Council has since submitted planning scheme amendment documentation to the Department of Transport and Planning for review. The planning scheme amendment proposes to make changes to the Mount Alexander Planning Scheme that implement the recommendations of the heritage report. Once the Department of Transport and Planning complete their review, further information about next steps in the amendment process will be made available.