The Rural City of Swan Hill Heritage Study began in 1998 to identify sites of potential heritage significance across the municipality.
Led by Andrew Ward and his team, the study initially documented over 200 locations with historical value. Each site was recorded with photos, mapping, and available historical data. A second phase of the study re-assessed these places to determine their cultural importance and assigned them a heritage grading (A, B, or C) to guide future planning protections.