The main goal was to encourage the council to establish a heritage strategy, and there was a need to get citizens excited about what was being planned.
"What we can do as a separate group is run local and national heritage awards, and we're working with Heritage New Zealand on that," Mrs Craig said. Incentives to building owners, such as rates rebates, was another option flagged at the meeting, "but this isn't about handing out money".
"The heritage we have, from the earliest Maori settlements to modern buildings, is something unique to Whanganui. We're one of the few places in the country that can show that.
"But it's important that the council understands the importance of this heritage. There's been talk at the council but nothing else, and that's not enough.
"It's time for council to come up with the heritage strategy."
Among keynote speakers were John Vickers, chairman of the Whanganui Regional Heritage Trust, architect Bruce Dickson and representatives from Heritage New Zealand.
"Some of the Heritage NZ people hadn't been here before and were gobsmacked with the heritage buildings they saw in the central city," Mrs Craig said.
"They all said it would be banking gold for the future if we work to retain what we've got."
People at the meeting were asked to write down their ideas and that data would be analysed before the sub-committee meets again in about a month.