The Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT) is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage.
Incorporated in 1965, it federates the eight autonomous National Trusts in each Australian state and internal self-governing territory, providing them with a national secretariat and a national and international presence.

Collectively, the constituent National Trusts own or manage over 300 heritage places (the majority held in perpetuity), and manage a volunteer workforce of 7000 while also employing about 350 people nation-wide. Around 1,000,000 visitors experience the properties and their collections in Australia each year.

Member organisations

The constituent organisations are:

Organisation	Jurisdiction	Founded	Actual members	Properties Managed	Properties Owned	Official website	Notes
National Trust of Australia (NSW)	New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...	1947	30,000	18	38	http://www.nationaltrust.com.au
National Trust of Australia (Victoria)	Victoria	1956	13,000	40	32	http://www.nattrust.com.au
National Trust of Australia (Tasmania)	Tasmania Tasmania Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...	1960	?	9	9	http://www.nationaltrusttas.org.au
National Trust of Queensland	Queensland Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...	1963	?	?	?	http://www.nationaltrustqld.org
National Trust of South Australia	South Australia South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...	1955	?	120	120	http://www.nationaltrustsa.org.au
National Trust of Western Australia	Western Australia Western Australia Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...	1959	?	?	?	http://www.ntwa.com.au
National Trust of Australia (ACT)	Australian Capital Territory Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...	?	?	?	?	http://www.act.nationaltrust.org.au
National Trust NT	Northern Territory Northern Territory The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...	1976	?	?	?	http://www.nationaltrustnt.org.au

History

Modelled on the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty

The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...

 and inspired by local campaigns to conserve native bushland and preserve old buildings, the first Australian national trusts were formed in New South Wales in 1947, South Australia in 1955 and Victoria in 1956; followed later in Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland.

See also

• List of National Trust properties in Australia
• List of Australian Living Treasures
  Australian Living Treasures
  Australian Living Treasures are people who have been nominated by the National Trust of Australia. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997....
  
  
• SAHANZ
  SAHANZ
  SAHANZ was founded in South Australia in 1984. It is a scholarly society for the advancement of research into the history of architecture, with a focus on New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific...
  
  , the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand

Further reading

• Ian Wyatt, Ours in Trust (1987), covers the founding years of the NSW National Trust
• Mary Rhyllis Clark, In Trust (1996), recollections of the Victorian Trust pioneers
• Carol Cosgrove and Susan Marsden, Challenging times: the National Trust of South Australia 1955–2005, National Trust of South Australia, Adelaide 2005 ISBN 0-909378-60-6

External links

• Australian Living Treasures