Australia is committed to protecting national and foreign movable cultural heritage.

Movable cultural heritage may include artworks and historical, archaeological, numismatic, philatelic, science or technology objects.

The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 ensures objects that have cultural significance remain in Australia. The Act also provides for the return of foreign cultural property which has been illegally exported from other countries and imported into Australia.

The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Regulations 2018 contain the National Cultural Heritage Control List, which specifies the categories of Australian cultural property subject to export control. The Explanatory Statement outlines the purpose of the Regulations.

The Regulations were amended by the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Amendment (2021 Measures No. 1) Regulations 2021 to facilitate the exhibition overseas of certain categories of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander bark paintings and enhance the protection of certain Victoria Cross medals of significance. The amendments are outlined in the accompanying Explanatory Statement.

Australia is part of the international effort to protect and safeguard the world's cultural heritage, guided by the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970.

Australia is also committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development though strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world's cultural heritage.

If you buy cultural material in Australia or from overseas, you need to ensure that any import/export is compliant with relevant cultural property laws. For more information, please refer to the fact sheet.

Protecting movable cultural heritage fact sheet

Published 1 August 2022—PDF and DOCX files available

Protecting Movable Cultural Heritage Fact Sheet—August 2022

In Australia, national and foreign cultural heritage is protected by our laws. Australian cultural property objects are significant to the nation's identity. It is important all cultural heritage items are imported and exported legally.

  • Exporting cultural property from Australia

    A permit is needed to take significant cultural material out of Australia. We regulate the export of cultural material under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986.

  • Laws and enforcement

    In Australia, national and international cultural property is protected through the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, which gives effect to the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970.

  • Importing cultural heritage objects into Australia

    Importing cultural material from foreign countries into Australia must comply with the laws of the foreign country and Australia.

  • National Cultural Heritage Committee

    The National Cultural Heritage Committee assesses applications for export permits and funding applications from the National Cultural Heritage Account. It also advises the Minister for the Arts.