Migrant Heritage walk
Scheyville National Park
Overview
Migrant Heritage walk offers an easy stroll around original structures from the post-WWII migrant camp of Scheyville, with interpretive panels detailing the site’s heritage.
- Accessibility
- Hard
- Distance
- 1.1km loop
- Time suggested
- 30min - 2hrs
- Grade
- Grade 3
- Opening times
Migrant Heritage walk is behind a gate which opens at 8am and closes at 5pm (8pm during daylight savings).
- What to
bring - Hat, sunscreen, binoculars
Step out of your car and into the past on this short walk that gives you a glimpse of Scheyville’s fascinating history.
See relics of buildings where Australian city boys and young British men learned farming skills. Explore places such as the Casual Labour Farm, the Dreadnought dining hall and dormitory buildings and the Government Agricultural Training Farm, which operated from the early 1900s to 1939.
Along the way, you'll get an insight into Scheyville’s migrant settlement history. Between 1949 and 1964, up to 1500 people a year from more than 22 countries passed through the camp. Scheyville was often their first glimpse of a new life in Australia. Experience what they saw in the old buildings, some of which are now under restoration or reduced to outlines.
See the Officer Training Unit, which operated from 1965 to 1973 to train cadets who had been called in for service to the Army. As you walk, you’ll find interpretive panels with text and photographs to help bring the site back to life.
This is a terrific stop for anybody wanting a greater insight into the multicultural history of the country and for visitors with ties to the local area. It’s an easy stroll, making it perfect for walking with children. Finish up your time here by taking advantage of the picnic tables for a leisurely lunch.
Nearby
-
Scheyville Camp precinct
Take an easy walk around Scheyville Camp precinct in Scheyville National Park and explore the area's fascinating heritage. See restored buildings, remnants of structures long fallen, and uncover their unique history through interpretive signs.
Map
Map legend
Local alerts
For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/walking-tracks/migrant-heritage-walk/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Scheyville National Park in the Sydney and surrounds region
Scheyville National Park is open 8am to 6pm from May to August and 8am to 8pm from September to April. The park may have to close at times due to poor weather or fire danger.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Migrant Heritage walk.
Track grading
Features of this track
Distance
1.1km loop
Time
30min - 2hrs
Quality of markings
Sign posted
Experience required
No experience required
Gradient
Flat
Steps
Occasional steps
Quality of path
Formed track
Getting there and parking
Migrant Heritage walk starts at Scheyville Camp precinct in the southern precinct of Scheyville National Park. To get there:
From Parramatta:
- Travel north-west on Windsor Road to Boundary Road, Vineyard (6km east of Windsor)
- Turn north onto Boundary Road, and then west on Old Pitt Town Road
- Turn north-east on Scheyville Road
- Turn onto Memorial Drive, Scheyville Camp precinct is marked by an information point
From Windsor:
- Take Windsor Road and turn east onto Pitt Town Road
- Turn onto Saunders Road and then Scheyville Road
- Turn onto Memorial Drive, Scheyville Camp precinct is marked by an information point
Parking
Parking is available at Scheyville Camp precinct.
Best times to visit
There are lots of great things waiting for you in Scheyville National Park. Here are some of the highlights.
Autumn
Ride a horse around the central precinct of the park, where several trails thread over and around Longneck Creek.
Spring
Discover the area's fascinating heritage with a visit to the historical Scheyville Camp Precinct.
Summer
Take a morning stroll around Longneck Lagoon to observe the many bird species that call the wetland home, or drop in on their long migrations.
Weather, temperature and rainfall
Summer temperature
Average
11.2°C and 29.1°C
Highest recorded
42.5°C
Winter temperature
Average
4.1°C and 17.9°C
Lowest recorded
-7.2°C
Rainfall
Wettest month
January
Driest month
September
The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day
309.4mm
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - hard
Wheelchairs can access this area with some difficulty.
Prohibited
Pets
Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.
Smoking
NSW national parks are no smoking areas.
Learn more
Migrant Heritage walk is in Scheyville National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Feathered migrants
The park sustains an impressive population of permanent and migratory birds, including several precious species like the vulnerable swift parrot and turquoise parrot, and the endangered regent honeyeater. Bring some comfortable shoes and a pair of binoculars to get the most out of this quiet landscape, which changes throughout the year as different species come and go.
- Longneck Lagoon walking track A small freshwater wetland, Longneck Lagoon walking track allows visitors to see the startling array of birds that frequent the area. Perfect for walking with children.
Putting down roots
Scheyville National Park protects a large area of the Cumberland Plain Woodland, an endangered ecological community. There’s also a small area of Casltlereagh scribbly gum woodland and shale transition forest. Strolling through Scheyville has much to interest naturalists – and animal enthusiasts, for that matter. The native thorn bush is an important understory habitat for birds. There are over 140 types of waterbirds, offering superb birdwatching opportunities. There are horse riding tracks and places for cycling. There is even an education centre focusing on plants and animals.
- Longneck Lagoon walking track A small freshwater wetland, Longneck Lagoon walking track allows visitors to see the startling array of birds that frequent the area. Perfect for walking with children.
The Australian story
Scheyville has a rich heritage that gives us a great insight into the past 175 years of Australian history. It has played host to a government cooperative farm and an agricultural training facility. In World War I, it was an internment camp, in World War II, a training base for the First Australian Parachute Battalion. It’s also been a migrant camp for new Australians and an officer’s training unit in the Vietnam War. Scheyville has seen it all. And its remarkable life continues too: around a quarter of a million Australians are linked to the Scheyville site through their ancestors. Because of this, Scheyville is recognised by the NSW State Heritage Register.
- Migrant Heritage walk Migrant Heritage walk offers an easy stroll around original structures from the post-WWII migrant camp of Scheyville, with interpretive panels detailing the site’s heritage.
- Scheyville Camp precinct Take an easy walk around Scheyville Camp precinct in Scheyville National Park and explore the area's fascinating heritage. See restored buildings, remnants of structures long fallen, and uncover their unique history through interpretive signs.
Plants and animals protected in this park
Animals
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Cumberland Plain land snail (Meridolum corneovirens)
The endangered Cumberland Plain land snail is only found on the Cumberland Plain, west of Sydney. During drought it digs deep into the soil to escape harsh conditions. Its brown shell is thin and fragile.