Coolart Wetlands and Homestead Reserve
Encyclopedia
The Coolart Wetlands and Homestead Reserve, or just Coolart, is an 87.5 ha estate on the Western Port
coast of the Mornington Peninsula
of Victoria
, south-eastern Australia
, about 70 km south-east of Melbourne
. It comprises a late 19th century mansion-like homestead and surrounding grounds west of the village of Somers
. The homestead is set in a garden with adjacent wetland
s and coastal woodland
s with walking tracks. It is managed by Parks Victoria
and is open to the public. It is a popular venue for picnics, nature walks and birdwatching
.
and a wetland observatory with educational facilities. There are also areas of woodland and farmland. The wetlands are home to a breeding colony of over 1000 ibis
es, while koala
s inhabit the woodlands.
people, with the word “coolart” deriving from the Bunurong name for nearby Sandy Point. With European settlement of the area Coolart was taken up as a pastoral lease
in 1839 by the Meyrick brothers. Subsequently the property went through various farming phases, including cropping and raising sheep and cattle.
The Coolart estate was purchased as a farming property in 1895 by Frederick Sheppard Grimwade
, a Melbourne businessman and parliamentarian, with the homestead built immediately thereafter as his family’s country retreat. The property passed through various hands during the early 20th century before it was acquired by Tom Luxton in 1937. Luxton persuaded the state government to declare the property a wildlife sanctuary and began a program of habitat development that included the construction of an artificial lake and other wetlands for waterbirds.
When Luxton died in 1968 Coolart was purchased by the Victorian State Government for conservation and education purposes. Parks Victoria took over the management of the property in 1996, advised by the Coolart Wetlands and Homestead Trust. Coolart’s land and buildings are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
Western Port
Western Port, is sometimes called "Western Port Bay", is a large tidal bay in southern Victoria, Australia opening into Bass Strait. It is the second largest bay in Victoria. Geographically, it is dominated by the two large islands; French Island and Phillip Island. Contrary to its name, it lies to...
coast of the Mornington Peninsula
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion...
of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, south-eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, about 70 km south-east of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. It comprises a late 19th century mansion-like homestead and surrounding grounds west of the village of Somers
Somers, Victoria
Somers is a small town approximately 72 km south east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the south eastern corner of the Mornington Peninsula on Western Port. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.-History:...
. The homestead is set in a garden with adjacent wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s and coastal woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s with walking tracks. It is managed by Parks Victoria
Parks Victoria
-Department:Parks Victoria was established in December 1996 as a statutory authority, reporting to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change. The Parks Victoria Act 1998 makes Parks Victoria responsible for managing national parks, reserves and other land under the control of the state,...
and is open to the public. It is a popular venue for picnics, nature walks and birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
.
Description
Coolart is bordered by Merricks Creek on the south, Somers School Camp on the east, Balnarring Beach road on the west and privately owned farmland on the north. It contains the Coolart Homestead, a substantial two-storey brick house, with a third-storey tower and several outbuildings. As well as a well-maintained garden there are several wetlands with a bird hideBird hide
A bird hide is a shelter, often camouflaged, that is used to observe wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. Although hides were once built chiefly as hunting aids, they are now commonly found in parks and wetlands for the use of bird watchers, ornithologists and other observers who do not...
and a wetland observatory with educational facilities. There are also areas of woodland and farmland. The wetlands are home to a breeding colony of over 1000 ibis
Ibis
The ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae....
es, while koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s inhabit the woodlands.
History
Coolart was originally part of the traditional lands of the BunurongBunurong
The Bunurong are Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation, who occupy South-Central Victoria, Australia. Prior to European settlement, they lived as all people of the Kulin nation lived, sustainably on the land, predominantly as hunters and gatherers, for tens of thousands of years...
people, with the word “coolart” deriving from the Bunurong name for nearby Sandy Point. With European settlement of the area Coolart was taken up as a pastoral lease
Pastoral lease
A pastoral lease is Crown land that government allows to be leased, generally for the purposes of farming.-Australia:Pastoral leases exist in both Australian commonwealth law and state jurisdictions....
in 1839 by the Meyrick brothers. Subsequently the property went through various farming phases, including cropping and raising sheep and cattle.
The Coolart estate was purchased as a farming property in 1895 by Frederick Sheppard Grimwade
Frederick Sheppard Grimwade
Frederick Sheppard Grimwade was a businessman and Victorian member of parliament.Born in Norfolk, England, Grimwade arrived in Victoria in 1863. In 1867 he bought a pharmaceutical company and renamed it Felton Grimwade & Co.; it soon became the largest in the colony, prospering well into the...
, a Melbourne businessman and parliamentarian, with the homestead built immediately thereafter as his family’s country retreat. The property passed through various hands during the early 20th century before it was acquired by Tom Luxton in 1937. Luxton persuaded the state government to declare the property a wildlife sanctuary and began a program of habitat development that included the construction of an artificial lake and other wetlands for waterbirds.
When Luxton died in 1968 Coolart was purchased by the Victorian State Government for conservation and education purposes. Parks Victoria took over the management of the property in 1996, advised by the Coolart Wetlands and Homestead Trust. Coolart’s land and buildings are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.