It encompasses all the things that are significant to Australians which have survived from the past. Increasingly what was formerly intangible, such as traditions, customs and habits, is being recorded and documented in photographs, films, tapes and digital records. Movable cultural heritage refers to items of cultural heritage which are capable of being transported. Australia is one of only a few countries which has developed and published a specific policy and strategy to care for its movable cultural heritage. Through the Heritage Collections Council, governments at all levels work collaboratively with the museums sector and non-government organisations to conserve, promote, manage and provide access to Australia's collections of movable cultural heritage.
Natural heritage includes places of scientific, archaeological, aesthetic and ecological importance.
It can also include geological features and landscapes. Extensive areas of coastline, forests, wetlands and deserts are included in national parks, nature reserves and wilderness areas. Many smaller sites are important habitats for native flora and fauna, enabling the conservation of threatened species. Many natural places are significant to Indigenous communities for cultural reasons. Conservation of heritage places involves identifying them, surveying their values, and classifying and managing them.