Heytesbury Settlement Scheme Explained

Type:town
Simpson
State:vic
Use Lga Map:yes
Pushpin Label Position:right
Lga:Corangamite Shire
Lga2:Colac Otway Shire
Postcode:3266
Est:1952
Pop:569
Coordinates:-38.4833°N 143.2°W

The Heytesbury Settlement Scheme was a soldier settlement scheme established in the Western District of Victoria, Australia after World War II. The scheme involved the clearing of the Heytesbury Forest south of Colac, Victoria and adjacent to the Otway Ranges to allow for the establishment of a dairy industry in the area. Established in 1960 by the Victorian Government led by Premier Henry Bolte, some early problems saw the scheme dismissed as "Bolte's Blunder". In time the area became one of Australia's most productive dairy regions. The scheme was one of the last large scale land settlement schemes in Victoria.

The town of Simpson - named for Les Simpson, the first chair of the Soldier Settlement Commission - was established as part of the scheme.

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