Employment of a dedicated heritage and cultural officer tops the list of actions an advocacy group wants Indigo Council to take in "refocusing" on heritage tourism.
The Beechworth History and Heritage Society, headed by retailer Elizabeth Mason, will present a list of 14 priorities in a November meeting with council.
Ms Mason witnessed the boom in heritage tourism from the 1990s and the 1994 amalgamation of Indigo Shire as "the heritage shire".
"We were held up as the town of heritage tourism for about 20 years, and in last 10 years, things have really just started to decline," she said.
"Our main roundabout in the middle of town desperately needs painting and the caretaker's cottage at the Powder Magazine is virtually derelict.
"I became the president of the Chamber of Commerce when I identified that the focus from promoting heritage tourism shifted to adventure tourism.
"That was worrying to me."
The History and Heritage Society is an unincorporated advocacy group formed two years ago.
"We would like to see a refocus to what is really important," Ms Mason said.
"Mount Alexander Shire, with fewer heritage towns, has an officer and secured a grant of $4.5 million to do some streetscape revitalisation."
Ms Mason believes the recent installment and removal of a stainless steel bubbler would not have occurred if Indigo Shire employed its own heritage officer.
The group also wants there to be an application for heritage recognition at all government levels, greater signage and plaques, heritage-sympathetic infrastructure and a community advisory committee, among other things.
There is a key focus on moving the carriage collection to the railway goods shed, and ensuring Parks Victoria reopens walking tracks and historic mine sites, which remain closed.
Mayor Jenny O'Connor said Indigo Shire had access to one of Victoria's most highly regarded heritage advisors and a newly established Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee comprising some of Australia's most credentialed experts.
"One of the main objectives of the committee is to advise and make recommendations to Council on policy and strategic direction pertaining to cultural heritage matters and to ensure the conservation and protection of our heritage assets," Cr O'Connor said.
"We are also fortunate to have community members who share our passion for heritage and ensuring its long-term preservation.
"However, some heritage assets are not under our control, such as the carriages and we are working with the National Trust on the best way to house and protect the collection".
