About Us
How it all started...
The area now known as the Heyfield Wetlands started on the 27th of August 1878 by the Maffra Shire. Back then the townspeople called it "the swamp"!.
The wetlands has seen many things over the decades. It was once the central parade ground for C. Company Mounted Rifles, who fought in the Boer War. Around the 1930s, races were held and the course wrapped around the swampy areas.
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Thanks to regular flooding, the reserve has very good soil. Over the years, townspeople kept cows there and milked them on site. A local resident fondly remembers delivering pails of milk to people for six pence a jug when he was a little boy. Vegetables were also grown in the fertile soil for many years.
1962 saw a football oval and cricket pitch constructed on the reserve. When the local cricket club moved to the Gordon Street Oval, the pitch was dug up and moved from the reserve as it was of such good quality.
The Tractor Pull & Mud Run and the Heyfield Picnic Races were both big events for the local area and continued for a number of years.
In 1992, a public meeting was held to form a new committee to manage the reserve. With this committee came a new vision for the reserve and for the wider Heyfield community. The vision was to turn it into a working wetland. One that
would treat the towns' storm water and runoff - which until then had gone straight into the nearby Thomson River - as well as create a viable environmental asset.
Unfortunately the committee were unsuccessful at obtaining funds for the wetlands project and decided to get the local contractors on board to volunteer and help out "Heyfield style". One weekend in April 1999 major earth works were undertaken to excavate the pond in front of the now existing building, and the soil from it was used to build the walking paths.
That weekend 13 local contractors with machinery valued at $3 million dollars, volunteered their equipment and
time, and Mobil Australia oil company donated 1000 litres of fuel for the job. Meanwhile, local businesses donated food and drink for the workers over the weekend.
Across the two days, $500,000 worth of work had been completed and it cost the Committee just $46 for photocopying pamphlets for the public to become friends of the Wetlands. At that time it was the biggest volunteer project
undertaken in Australia!
The next step was to obtain grant funding to start planting trees around the walking areas. Since that time, over 20,000 trees have been planted by school groups, service groups and individuals.
Over the next few years, money was obtained to construct the boardwalks along the walking paths.
In 2002, with the help of the Wellington Shire Council, the committee successfully applied for a $200,000 grant to construct the Information Centre. All trades used to construct the building were from Heyfield, and everything, except the external cladding, came from the town. The building also features Mountain Ash timber from our local mill. The exterior cladding is Silvertop Ash supplied by Radial Sawn Timber at Yarram.
The latest addition to the wetlands has been a second pond and a large viewing platform, constructed in 2023 thanks to grant funding. The wetland committee worked tirelessly with the East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority, Southern Rural Water, Gippsland Water and the Wellington Shire to bring the project to life.
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2023 saw the construction of the new viewing platform and pond.
The completed viewing platform and pond are a wonderful addition to the wetlands.
The reserve continues to grow and expand, while enhancing the township of Heyfield and surrounds. It offers a peaceful haven every day for walkers, runners, nature lovers and the like.
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A local bird watching group regularly hold days to count species. The largest number of birds spotted in one day is 82 different species.
The wetlands are regularly used by school groups for science studies of the water and bird life. Cross country runs by the district schools also make use of our wide open spaces. In recent years we have had schools from Melbourne and other areas use the Wetlands for outdoor education assignments.
Community groups hire the wetlands for public events. Some of the events that have been held at the wetlands are the Duck Cup, Heyfield Food and Wine Festival, Heyfield Tractor Pull, Heyfield Races and numerous others.
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With the original plans to install ponds and paths, the Wetlands has continued to change with the construction of additional ponds. The growth of the Wetlands has enhanced the township of Heyfield.
Hire out our centre
Events hosted at the centre have included parties, weddings, funerals, conferences, meetings, craft groups, exhibitions and concerts. The Wetlands committee provides catering for functions on request. Please contact us for costing of hire and catering or pop in to say hello and have a look around.