The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Register and Information (ACHRIS) is the online tool that is used to access the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register. (ACHRIS supports Chrome and Firefox browsers. Chrome is recommended.)
The register is a central repository for Traditional Owners to store information about cultural heritage and includes:
- Aboriginal cultural heritage place registrations
- Aboriginal Intangible heritage registrations and agreements
- approved Cultural Heritage Management Plans
- Cultural Heritage Permits
- certified preliminary Aboriginal heritage tests
- archaeological reports
The following documents are kept on the register:
- Cultural Heritage Permits
- approved Cultural Heritage Management Plans
- Information Sheets - Audits and Stop Orders
- Aboriginal Heritage Protection Declarations
Who can access the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register?
The Register can only be accessed by people or organisations who need detailed information on cultural heritage places and objects to protect and manage them.
The Register is not a publicly accessible register as it contains culturally sensitive information.
How to access or get information from the register
Contact us:
First Peoples - State Relations staff provide assistance for ACHRIS on weekdays from 9:30am to 4:30pm:
- email: VAHR@dpc.vic.gov.au
- phone: 1800 762 003
Why do we have the register?
The Department of Premier and Cabinet is required to maintain a register of Aboriginal places and objects under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. The quality and type of information available to users of the Register is fundamental to the management of Aboriginal heritage now and into the future. Over 39,000 Aboriginal objects and places have been recorded on the Register and many of these places and objects are located on private property. There are still many Aboriginal places and objects yet to be discovered.
Guides and information sheets
Sections within the standards for recording Victorian Aboriginal heritage places and objects have been updated and are no longer applicable. Please refer to the updated sections above for current standards for recording this Aboriginal cultural heritage. Other sections of the standards are currently being reviewed and will be updated accordingly.
Forms and resources
Recording form templates
Heritage professionals should access ACHRIS to record or change the details of a place on the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register.
The details of Aboriginal places are recorded on the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register using online digital forms accessed through ACHRIS.
The content of these forms is set out in the documents below to assist heritage professionals in collecting the required information of Aboriginal places and objects prior to registration:
Reviewed 14 September 2023