In the beginning: 

The National Trust of Australia has run an Endangered Places program since 2000. It has been the only national advocacy program of the National Trust Movement and is a collaborative program of the eight State and Territory Trusts, coordinated and managed by the Australian Council of National Trusts.

Based loosely on the American program of the same name, the objective of Endangered Places has been to utilise the combined advocacy of the Trusts to focus community and media interest on the kinds of threats facing heritage places, and to marshal community action and government attention to address threats facing listed places and to achieve policy changes to address the issues raised by those threats.

It has had some notable successes in raising community awareness of heritage issues and some positive heritage conservation outcomes including Point Nepean and Point Cook, the Abbotsford Convent and Pentridge Gaol sites (Victoria), the Manly Quarantine Station and the historic Maritime Precinct (NSW), Sullivan’s Cove (Tasmania) and the Midland Railway Workshops (WA). Two places nominated as endangered, Recherche Bay in Tasmania, and the Burrup Peninsula in WA, have been nominated to or listed on the National Heritage List.

However, despite these successes, and the respect for the program held by prominent conservation and community organisations,  Endangered Places  has not reached all members of community and it has been difficult for the National Trust to ensure that all places nominated as endangered met the criteria for risk.

In order to increase objectivity, credibility and capacity of the program to influence community and government attitudes, the National Trust is refreshing Endangered Places  through an enhanced and expanded program in collaboration with respected heritage and media partners. to be known as Our Heritage At Risk.