Heywood is home to the National Heritage Landscape of Budj Bim (Lake Condah). The area is a large shallow lake formed at the edge of a lava flow. Dating back thousands of years, the area shows evidence of a large, settled (not nomadic) Aboriginal community systematically farming eels for food and trade in what is considered to be one of Australia’s earliest and largest aquaculture ventures.

Today the Winda Mara Aboriginal Corporation and Budj Bim Tours of Heywood help organise tours to Lake Condah to explore the remains of stone huts and fish traps, as well as highlighting the Aboriginal culture and their way of life.

Be sure to pack a picnic when you visit Heywood – the region offers some of the Discovery Coast’s best bushland and picnic settings. Surry Ridge Picnic Area, situated off the Cut Out Dam Road in the Cobboboonee State Forest, or the picnic area beside the Fitzroy River in Heywood are good spots for a home-packed meal.