City of Greater Bendigo mayor Margaret O'Rourke hopes a plan to see the Central Victorian Goldfields receive an UNESCO World Heritage Listing can be achieved within 10 years.

The bid, which involves 13 local councils, gathered more momentum on Friday as councillors from the City of Greater Bendigo and City of Ballarat, including Cr O'Rourke and Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh, along with heritage advisory groups met in Ballarat last week to discuss the bid.

Cr O'Rourke said the discussion was to bring the heritage groups up to speed.

"Bendigo and Ballarat are the lead councils but there are 13 local councils involved," she said. "It is unusual and unique to see (so many) councils collaborating together but it is a great opportunity.

"We are now seeking funding from the state government to assist us in mapping and understanding what (Central Victorian Goldfields) sites would work for the bid and give us the best opportunity (to succeed)."

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The plan to see the goldfields gain World Heritage Listing was first raised in the 1980s when John Brumby was the Member for Bendigo.

Cr O'Rourke said the idea remain an exciting opportunity that she hoped would come to fruition within 10 years.

"It still needs a lot of work but the aim is that this needs to be done sooner rather than later. We're hoping it is not another 10 years," she said.

"It is quite exciting opportunity but we also believe we need to do more work in briefing community members.

"Some (groups), like the prospectors would be worried they won't be able to do that activity anymore but that is certainly not case. We will be putting a communications plan together to have a broader discussion, so people understand exactly (what we want to do)."

Cr O'Rourke said the 13 councils had all made small contributions to the project but that it was time to pursue state government funds.

"To get to that next stage we need a concerted effort. That's why we have approached the state government," she said.

Cr McIntosh said the session allowed her to outline productive discussions held in early June when she attended the 15th Organization of World Historical Cities Congress in Krakow, Poland.

"In Poland, we confirmed we have the International Council on Monuments and Sites Sustainable Tourism Committee visiting the region next year which is absolutely fantastic news that I was able to discuss with my Bendigo counterparts," she said.

- Bendigo Advertiser

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