In 2014 we completed stage two of the White Hills & East Bendigo Heritage Study, following the completion of community consultation and the identification of places of potential heritage significance. Stage two took the project into detailed research and physical analysis, and resulted in the preparation of a planning scheme amendment to protect identified places.

The study area covered 22 sq km of the north-eastern urban area of the City of East Bendigo. It included East Bendigo, North Bendigo, White Hills, and parts of Ascot and Epsom. These areas are largely residential, with scattered buildings rather than streetscapes, but include a number of operational industrial/commercial sites, some of which are of considerable size.

In addition to the survey and fieldwork undertaken for stage one, earlier reports were consulted, including the Thematic Environmental History we prepared for the City, the final draft of which was completed in June 2013. This work had identified thematic and geographic gaps in the current Schedule to the Heritage Overlay.