Hamilton Victoria

Heywood

Heywood is a small town on the Fitzroy River. It is a service centre for agricultural and timber industries. Attractions in the area include Mt Eccles National Park, Discovery Bay National Park, Cape Nelson State Park, Mt Richmond National Park and the Lower Glenelg National Park. The coast is only 25 km to the south.

Lake Condah Aboriginal Mission, 25 km north-east of town, provides an insight into the history of Victoria’s indigenous people. Aboriginal people lived in the area 40,000 years ago. This is the only place in Australia where Aborigines built permanent houses out of stone. Tours of the area also show the remnants of stone channels and fish traps used to sustain the permanent Aboriginal settlement.

European settlement exploited the local forests which were cleared logged or burned. Nonetheless there are still substantial areas of forest rich in fauna and flora. Numerous picnic areas have been established.

The Wood, Wine and Roses Festival is held in February. It is a significant event in the region with competitions for flowers, crafts, painting, photography, general art and woodcraft.