Heywood: Riverfront, Festival and Art

Get to know Heywood through a range of different experiences: Apex Park sits on the Fitzroy River, artworks by Adnate can be seen on the local water tower, and the Wood Wine and Roses Festival is an annual event. There is also a miniature railway, a museum and a publicly accessible memorial. In Heywood, you’ll find riverfront, recreation, art and local remembrance.

Enjoy the riverfront and water

Apex Park sits on the banks of the Fitzroy River. It has a playground and covered shelters with barbecue facilities. For families with children, the playground is a clear point of interest; the shelters provide a place to barbecue. The combination of riverfront and play areas makes the park a distinct option for spending time outdoors.

Another way to enjoy the water is at the Heywood Swimming Pool, which has a 50-metre swimming and leisure pool. While Apex Park is on the river, the swimming pool offers a clearly defined alternative. If you include both in your plans, you’ll have two different options: spending time by the Fitzroy River and swimming in the pool.

A festival with a set date

The Wood Wine and Roses Festival is held every year on the last Saturday in February. Check the date for the relevant year before travelling. The street parade officially opens the festival. The program includes wine tastings and a final fireworks display; these program items may vary from year to year. The parade, tastings and fireworks offer different highlights that can make the festival a special reason to visit.

If you’d like to explore Heywood around the festival, the February date is an important point of reference. The event also shows a different side of the town from the park and swimming pool: the focus here is a shared occasion on a set date in the calendar. It’s especially worth checking the details of the particular year’s event when planning.

Art, remembrance and local collections

Artworks by Adnate can be seen on the local water tower. The Indigenous war memorial mural in Heywood honours Gunditjmara soldiers who lost their lives. The water tower brings art and remembrance together in a clearly identifiable local landmark.

The James Rogers VC Memorial commemorates James Rogers, who served in the 3rd Light Horse Regiment; the memorial is open to the public. Another local discovery is the Old School: the building houses a miniature railway depicting the surrounding area. If the model railway is part of your plans, check the current opening arrangements before your visit. The Pioneer Wagon Shed and Museum displays furniture made at the mill. This furniture has a direct connection to where it was made—offering a different window onto local history from an artwork, memorial or model railway.

Plan your stay around your interests

When choosing accommodation in Heywood, you could start by considering what you’d like your stay to revolve around: the festival ties your plans to a specific date, while the park, art and memorial sites offer other reasons to visit. If the festival is the main focus of your trip, check the date for that year’s event. For the miniature railway, check the Old School’s current opening arrangements. That way, you can match your travel dates to the places you’d like to visit without having to follow a set itinerary.

Discover more destinations

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For the main travel overview: Victoria.