A popular grant program that assists owners of heritage and character buildings has been renewed with a fresh focus on the Bundaberg Region’s local heritage places and historic main streets.
Bundaberg Regional Council has revised the guidelines and eligibility of the Our Stories Our Places Heritage and Character Grants program, which provides financial assistance for owners of eligible properties to undertake sympathetic conservation works.
The revised program seeks to support conservation works on residential local heritage places and improvements to signage on commercial character buildings within the traditional main streets of Bundaberg and Childers.
Council’s Arts and Heritage portfolio spokesperson Councillor John Learmonth said the grant program acknowledged the efforts of property owners who maintained, repaired and conserved heritage and character properties.
“The revised guidelines include conservation of local heritage places in the Bundaberg Region that are, or once were, residential dwellings,” Cr Learmonth said.
“There are significant historic homes in the region that are important to our community and to our understanding of our history.
“For a dwelling to be eligible to receive this funding, it must be included on Council’s Register of Local Heritage Places.”
This includes conservation works such as reinstatement of lost features, urgent remedial work, replacement of unsympathetic modern signage and repainting the dwelling in its original or traditional colour scheme.
Cr Learmonth said the new guidelines also responded to community feedback about commercial signage on main street shops with heritage exteriors.
“The grant encourages improvements to signage on commercial character buildings in the main streets of Bundaberg and Childers to better suit the heritage character of the streetscape,” he said.
“Though advertising signage is important to promote businesses along the street, it can be positioned in a way that respects the special architecture of our heritage facades.”
Applications open on 1 August 2025 and close on 31 May 2026 unless the allocated budget has been exhausted sooner.
“In the 2025-26 Budget, Council has allocated $100,000 to fund applications for Our Stories Our Places grants,” Cr Learmonth said.
“For successful applications, Council may contribute half the cost of eligible works, up to a maximum contribution of $10,000 per project.”
Learn more about eligibility criteria and how to apply for a grant on Council’s website here.
The Register of Local Heritage Places can be found in Council’s Planning Scheme Policy Schedule 6.2, Heritage and Neighbourhood Character.
