Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the diverse issues that affect heritage projects during their lifecycle and in particular, why heritage-listed projects often fail to meet the delivery goals of time, budget, quality and scope.

Design/methodology/approach
This research was undertaken on a qualitative basis by conducting series of semi-structured interviews drawn from three case studies in SE Queensland. Qualitative research involves the evaluation of people’s experiences, feelings, social interactions, and the data gathered from this type of methodology is often varied and rich. A case study allows a researcher to test and generate theories based on real-world practice.

Findings
This paper presents the findings from a data collection exercise accomplished by conducting a series of qualitative case studies. Using a cross-case analysis approach, this paper highlights critical heritage project delivery issues and their causes.

Practical implications
The lessons learned from the study cases could be used in helping to prevent potential heritage project failures in the future.

Originality/value
The paper aims to bring greater awareness to practitioners and academics of the repeating issues that every heritage project is likely to face and offers some insight in how these may be mitigated.