Heyfield | |
|---|---|
 Temple Street | |
| Coordinates: 37°59′S 146°47′E / 37.983°S 146.783°E / -37.983; 146.783 | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Victoria |
| LGA | |
| Location | |
| Government | |
| • State electorate | |
| • Federal division | |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,050 (2021 census)[2] |
| Postcode | 3858 |
Heyfield is a town in Victoria, Australia, with a population of 2050.[2] It is 206 kilometres (128 mi) east of Melbourne, in the Shire of Wellington local government area. Located on the Thomson River, Heyfield is a gateway to the Victorian High Country.
History
In 1841 an early settler, James McFarlane, described the district as resembling "a field of waving corn", and called it "Hayfield".[3] By 1866, the spelling had changed to "Heyfield", but exactly when and why this happened is unclear.[4][5][6] It may have been renamed to reflect the spelling of the nearby Heyfield Station.[7]
In 1866, McFarlane's property was taken over by James Tyson, a former member of the Queensland Legislative Council, a pastoralist, and considered Australia's first self-made millionaire.
The town was a stopping point for diggers on their way to the Gippsland goldfields.[4]
The Post Office opened on 24 September 1870.[8]
The author Mary Grant Bruce started writing her Billabong series of books in 1910 while staying at James Tyson's former house.[citation needed]
The poet Shaw Neilson spent some time in the Heyfield area in the 1920s, where he wrote several poems and helped in the construction of the Lake Glenmaggie weir wall.[citation needed]
The Heyfield Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1983, not having been visited by a Magistrate since 1970.[9]
It is today known for its agriculture and timber production. It is the principal source of hardwood in Victoria, and the largest timber mill in the Southern Hemisphere, Australian Sustainable Hardwoods, is located there. The district's irrigation water comes from Lake Glenmaggie.[citation needed]
During the Gippsland bushfires in December 2006 and January 2007, the town was used as a staging area by the networked fire agencies, being, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Country Fire Authority (CFA), Victoria Police, and the Victorian State Emergency Service (SES).[citation needed]
A skatepark was built in Heyfield in December 2005.[citation needed]
Heyfield and surrounding areas were impacted by severe flash floods twice during winter and spring in 2007. The Thomson River burst its banks and rendered the road out of Heyfield impassable.[citation needed]
Sport
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the North Gippsland Football League.
Heyfield Soccer Club was one of the founding members of the Latrobe Valley Soccer League in 1951. They finished runner-up in the competition's first ever season but in an unusual quirk of history then withdrew from the competition.[10]
Golfers play at the course of the Heyfield Golf Club on Golflinks Road.[11]
Notable people
- Wil Anderson - Australian stand-up comedian and TV and radio personality
- David Wojcinski - Geelong FC Player.
- Leigh Brown - Retired Collingwood FC Player. Melbourne FC assistant coach.
- Brent Macaffer - Collingwood FC Player.
Gallery
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Police station
-
Primary school
-
Railway Hotel
-
War memorial
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Saint James Anglican Church
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Heyfield (urban centre and locality)". Australian Census 2021.
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Heyfield (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
- ^ "Heyfield, Victoria, Australia". www.gippslandinfo.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ a b "Visit Heyfield and District". www.heyfield.net. Archived from the original on 2 January 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ "Heyfield". www.otp.com.au. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ "Heyfield". www.visitvictoria.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2008. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
- ^ "Heyfield, Victoria". Travelmate. Archived from the original on 18 October 2007. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ "Special Report No. 4 - Court Closures in Victoria" (PDF). Auditor-General of Victoria. 1986. p. 78. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "LVSL League Results 1951-1970". Latrobe Valley Soccer League. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ Golf Select, Heyfield, retrieved 11 May 2009
External links
- Heyfield
- Sydney Morning Herald - Heyfield
