Foreign Minister Bob Carr has held talks with Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at her home in Rangoon.

He invited the pro-democracy icon to visit Australia, and says she agreed to do so next year.

"I extended to her an invitation from our Prime Minister to come to Australia as our guest, she thinks she can do it next year," Senator Carr said.

"And I'll be extending an invitation to the president, because I think he deserves recognition as someone who has taken bold steps and political risks to reform the system of his country, and we should honour that as well."

Ms Suu Kyi recently toured Thailand - her first international visit in almost 25-years.

Earlier Senator Carr, who is on a three-day trip to Burma, announced Australian funding and support to protect the heritage of the city of Rangoon.

Australia will make a contribution of a few thousand dollars to help fund the Rangoon heritage trust.

Australia will also cover the cost of seconding an Australian heritage architect to Rangoon for at least a year to advise on heritage protection and development strategies.

The heritage trust says the architecture in the city is uniquely preserved, encompassing colonial buildings, churches, mosques, synagogues and shop houses, all representing the country's diversity.

Before his meeting with Ms Suu Kyi, Senator Carr took a walking tour of Rangoon with historian and head of the city's heritage trust, Thant Myint-U.

He will meet president Thein Sein in the capital Napyidaw on Thursday, and is expected to discuss a further easing of Australian sanctions against Burma.