An opportunity for the community and businesses to learn more about the Victorian Goldfields UNESCO World Heritage Bid takes place on 3 June.

The Bendigo and Ballarat-based bid team leading the project will be at a drop-in information session from 3pm to 7pm at Beechworth Town Hall.

Indigo Shire Council tourism team manager Susannah Doyle said it would be the bid team’s second information session where community members from across Indigo Shire can speak with representatives and get the latest information.

Ms Doyle said the bid team was also leading community engagement on the listing process.

“Indigo Shire Council is one of 15 councils participating in the bid and facilitating local engagement, with information and guidance from the bid team,” she said.

Ms Doyle said the Victorian Goldfields website had extensive information available to everyone with interested community members invited to get involved.

“This can be by attending information events, providing feedback via an online survey, sharing stories and staying in touch by subscribing to the bid’s mailing list to receive all the latest updates as the bid progresses,” she said.

“Council’s website also provides updates and links to up-to-date bid information.”

Ms Doyle said the council would like to develop a Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid display in Beechworth’s Historic Precinct and online.

This is an early development step that Beechworth History and Heritage Society (BHHS) has pressed Indigo council to undertake in the precinct.

“It will encourage the community to see what the World Heritage listing bid is about and what roles the community can play in achieving the listing,” BHHS president Jamie Kronborg said.

Mr Kronborg said following the National Heritage Listing for Beechworth’s historic administrative precinct in July 2023, the Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE), Beechworth Inc and BHHS established the Beechworth Historic Precinct Partnership (BHPP) to advocate for the community’s interest in the precinct, with Old Beechworth Gaol subsequently joining the partnership.

“BHPP believes the community must be at the heart of discussions and planning about what happens next in this significant place,” Mr Kronborg said.

“As work continues towards formal inclusion in the World Heritage listing bid in 2029-30, we encourage the Beechworth community to be keenly aware of UNESCO’s expectations, and what the listing will mean for the community, its benefits, impacts and costs.”

Ms Doyle said the council was working with the bid team to understand available display information and funding for such a development.

“A display/exhibition could expand in depth and breadth, as funding becomes available, so the stories of Indigo’s role in the gold rush and the road to World Heritage listing can be given the focus it deserves,” she said.

“World Heritage listing of the Victorian Goldfields is estimated to deliver around $1 billion in economic value over 10 years, with benefits spread across the broader Victorian Goldfields region of the 15 local government areas.

“Identified benefits include increased visitation, higher visitor spending, job creation, and private investment, while key risks relate to managing visitor growth, protecting local amenity, and ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with demand.”

But Ms Doyle said visitor growth was not the key objective.

“Achieving balance across economic, socio-cultural and environmental outcomes is critical,” she said.

“Future investment in active conservation and activation of heritage sites would be assessed through normal budget processes and rely significantly on external funding and public and private investment partnerships.”

Ms Doyle said bid modelling indicates the Victorian Goldfields could attract around 2.5 million additional visitors over 10 years, increasing visitation from approximately 10.7m to 13.2m visitors annually, shared between and across the 15 local government areas.

Mr Kronborg said a successful bid would put Beechworth on the world’s stage.

“It will also make our community responsible at the same time for the active, ongoing management of this rare legacy,” he said.