Heyfield: Wetlands, Timber History and Rail Trail

Heyfield offers different sides to a stay: the Heyfield Wetlands provide walks in a natural wetland setting, while the Victorian Timber Workers Memorial commemorates Victoria’s timber workers. There is also a museum about the town’s history, park facilities and the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail, which runs through Heyfield. This lets you focus your visit on nature, activity, history or spending time outdoors together.

Wetlands and trails

The Heyfield Wetlands include a 28-hectare conservation area. This area has four kilometres of trails, eight fitness stations and boardwalks. The different features mean a visit need not be limited to a single activity: walks, exercise at the fitness stations and boardwalk trails offer different ways to experience the wetland environment.

Other activities in the Wetlands include birdwatching, fishing, photography and outdoor events.

Timber history and local culture

The Victorian Timber Workers Memorial in Heyfield is a permanent state memorial to Victoria’s timber workers. A plaque lists the names of people who died in workplace accidents in Victoria’s timber industry. The memorial also includes a public art sculpture, 75 mature Yellow-Barked trees, connecting paths, low stone walls and seating. Along with its commemorative purpose, these features give the memorial a distinctive physical design.

The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail runs through Heyfield and past the memorial. This connects the memorial’s name with a longer route through the region, without requiring you to limit your stay to a single theme. The Heyfield & District Museum offers a different focus: it features seasonal exhibitions, photographs and memorabilia about the history of Heyfield and its surroundings. The museum is housed in Heyfield’s former post office building.

Play, picnics and activity

Heyfield Apex Park has a playground with a wooden treehouse, a giant swing, a jumping truck and wooden sculptures of Australian animals. There are also picnic tables, covered free electric barbecues and toilets. The park therefore brings together both play and picnic facilities. For families looking to include these amenities in their stay, it offers a practical alternative to wetland walks or a visit focused on history.

Heyfield’s Youth Play Precinct includes a redesigned skatepark and a new pump track. Nearby, Blores Hill Mountain Bike Park has trails specifically designed for mountain bikers. The skatepark, pump track and mountain biking trails are different places to go for active pursuits; the trails at Blores Hill Park are in the area surrounding Heyfield.

Rail trail and annual events

The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is 67 kilometres long, runs from Traralgon to Stratford and passes through Heyfield. It also passes the Victorian Timber Workers Memorial. The trail’s total length gives you an idea of its scale, while Heyfield is a specific place along the route.

Two annual events add seasonal highlights: the Heyfield Lumberjacks B & S Ball takes place in April, and the Heyfield Vintage Machinery Rally in May. If you’re interested in these events, you can take these months into account when planning your stay. The other attractions—from museum exhibitions to activities in the Wetlands—appeal to visitors with a wide range of interests.

More places to discover: Kongwak, Betley, Korweinguboora, Vermont South, Wesburn, Beaconsfield Upper, Benalla and Skye.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.