The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the Commonwealth agency responsible for coastal aids to navigation (AtoN). This AtoN network includes a number of heritage lighthouses which continue to operate as critical aids for mariners at sea. Management of these heritage places is outlined in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 Cth (EPBC Act) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 Cth (EPBC Regulations).

Section 341ZA of the EPBC Act requires AMSA to prepare a written heritage strategy for managing the places to protect and conserve their Commonwealth Heritage values, and give a copy of the strategy to the Minister.

The EPBC Act also obliges AMSA to:

• take all reasonable steps to assist the Minister and the Australian Heritage Council in the identification, assessment and monitoring of the place’s Commonwealth Heritage values (Section 341Z);
• review this heritage strategy at least once in every three year period (section 341ZA(5));
• give the Minister a written report of the review (section 341ZA(6));
• produce a register that sets out, for each place it owns or controls, the Commonwealth Heritage values(if any) of that place (section 341ZB);
• minimise adverse impacts on places of heritage value (section 341ZC); and
• provide for the protection of the Commonwealth Heritage value of places when they are sold or leased (section 341ZE).