Mornington
Peninsula Online
Business and Tourism Directory
PLACES OF INTEREST
Coolart Wetlands & Homestead
Coolart is a magnificent
late Victorian mansion situated on the shores of Westernport.
In the superb grounds are ever-changing wetlands that you can
view from the observatory, and a lagoon where thousands of Australian
white ibis nest every year.
Things to
Do
Take a woodland walk and look for koalas.
Go bird watching. Birds can be seen everywhere at Coolart with
different species found in each of the distinct habitats. Winter
and spring are the most spectacular seasons when over 1000 Australian
white ibis and other waterbirds congregate on the lagoon to breed.
Picnic on the lawns or use the wood or electric barbeques. If
the weather is cold or wet please enquire about the Stables picnic
area.
Explore the old out buildings and imagine what life was like when
you had to make your own butter.
Stroll through the beautiful gardens and discover unusual exotic
plants or to the beach for views of Phillip Island and Westernport.
Junior Ranger Certificate activities are available - these are
parent-guided activities for children - just ask at the Visitor
Centre for 'Let’s Go Around The Farm' and 'Let’s Go
Beachcombing'.
Facilities
There is a visitors centre where you may hire binoculars or borrow
a wheelchair.
A slide show, 'Introducing Coolart', is shown each day in the
Wetlands Observatory (1:30 PM weekdays and 2:00 PM weekends)
Wood and electric barbeques, picnic tables and hot water are provided
for your convenience.
Baby changing facilities.
An admission fee applies: $6.70 adult; $4.80 concession; $3.30
children; $16.70 family.
Heritage
The original inhabitants of Coolart were the Bunurong tribe of
Aborigines and it is from the word "Colourt" or "Callert"
- their name for nearby Sandy Point - that the present name of
Coolart is derived.
In 1895, Frederick
Sheppard Grimwade bought the estate and built the imposing homestead
as the family's country retreat. Between 1907 and 1937 Coolart
was held at different times by Thomas Armstrong, James Balmain
and John Sylvester Feehan. The late Tom Luxton purchased the property
in 1937 and immediately had the property declared a sanctuary
for native wildlife and embarked upon a program of habitat development.
The 87 hectare nucleus of the Coolart area was purchased by the
Victorian State Government in 1977 and it was proclaimed as a
reserve for "Conservation and Education Purposes".
Fauna
Coolart has a large diversity of wildlife despite its relatively
small size. It has nine species of frog, including the increasingly
rare Growling Grass Frog. Thirteen species of mammal ranging in
size from the tiny, mouse-sized Agile Antechinus to the large
Swamp Wallaby. There are eleven species of reptile including the
Common Long-necked Tortoise, Blue-tongue Lizard, Copperhead, White-lipped
Snake and several species of skinks. Birds are the most numerous
of the larger wildlife and 177 species have been recorded. Eight
species of fish and four crustaceans have been found in the waterways.
Vegetation
The varied vegetation is the key to the wildlife diversity at
Coolart. The property consists of different plant communities
including manna gum/banksia woodland, grassland, paperbark swamps
and wetlands of sedges, reeds and rushes.
