Community
Activities at Haven
Take a walk along one of the many walking tracks and enjoy the rural atmosphere, birds and wildlife along the way.
Take your family or friends on a bike ride and look at the numerous new homes, the historic old homes and the vast gardens.
Admire the Bungalally and McKenzie Creeks with their hundreds of majestic gum trees and native pines.
Call in and check out the wetlands on the reserve or enjoy a BBQ with the family at the hall.
Twelve tennis courts are available to the community free of charge at all times (except during competition and coaching sessions).
Throw a few hoops at the basketball ring or practice your tennis skills against the rebound wall.
Check out the new WWI Memorial, including landscaping on the newly named area “Anzac Park Haven” in front of the school.
Check out the large mural at Anzac Park depicting the irrigation story when Engineer John Dixon Derry came to the Wimmera to develop the massive irrigation channel system. Included are the two new irrigation history boards in the gazebo.
We invite people to attached a padlock to our newest Black Saturday project – launched on February 2nd, 2019 by the Hon Linda Dessau, Governor of Victoria along with her husband Mr Anthony Howard. We encourage people to add a special lock in memory of family or friends, or someone or something special in your life.
Art & Craft Mondays
Address:
Haven Hall, 4378 Henty Highway, Haven via Horsham, Vic 3401
Contact:
Rhonda Coffey (0409 811 475)
When:
1st & 4th Mondays, 1 – 3.30pm
Cost:
Gold coin donation and a small afternoon tea to share
Haven’s Art & Craft Mondays provide a very social and friendly afternoon of craft activities. The ladies are armed with an amazing variety of skills, ideas and knowledge which they are more than happy to share. No need to book – just come along. Feel free to bring friends – everyone is welcome. The building is fully air-conditioned with plenty of parking and disabled access close to the entrances.
Haven Market
Address:
4378 Henty Highway, Haven 3401
Contact & Bookings:
Sue Exell (0409 257 256)
We welcome visitors to the Haven Market, a monthly event held on the first Saturday of each month (with the exception of January). All funds raised are used to improve facilities for the benefit of the community, the primary school and visitors.
Hundreds of people enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Market located in a picturesque bush setting only 5 minutes from Horsham.
There is always a diverse range of stalls from delicious homemade sauces, relish, cakes and jams, locally grown honey, bread and buns, through to locally made arts and crafts, baby produce, plants and so much more – always something new.
Sit and enjoy a cappuccino or hot chocolate, indulge in a hot jam donut or some homemade cakes while listening to the live music provided by Don Papst and members of the Key Change band.
Between 8am and 10am the Tennis Club’s Egg & Bacon Muffin Breakfasts are a must and a delicious BBQ is supplied by the Horsham Lions Club.
In December, we welcome everyone to our Twilight Christmas Market which runs from 4-8pm. A large variety of stalls with something for everyone.
Please don’t miss Haven’s monthly market – it is a very popular event – not just for the produce it provides but the welcoming community spirit of the bush.
The market is run by a small committee of volunteers. If you have a spare hour or two and would like to be involved, give Sue a call on 0409 257 256. The perfect way to make friends and maybe meet some of your neighbours.
Haven Memorial Hall
Address:
4378 Henty Highway, Haven via Horsham 3401
Bookings / Information:
Call Horsham Rural City Council on 5382 9777
The Haven Hall is ‘The Hub’ of our community and is one of the busiest halls in the district with currently between 400 – 500 uses each year.
Our current permanent user groups are:
* Haven Primary School
* Haven Tennis Club
* Haven Market
* Rock n Roll
* Art & Craft Mondays
* Haven’s Bush Playgroup
* Community meetings
* Fit4You (a fitness program for all ages)
The hall is also available for private functions such as birthday parties, anniversaries, weddings, concerts, business training days. The building is fully air-conditioned, has a large outdoor entertaining area with shade sails, two electric BBQ’s and has an excellent playground including lawns that are all fully fenced.
*** The hall is also used as a Relief Centre in emergencies and a Polling Booth ***
Haven’s Bush Playgroup
Address:
Haven Hall, 4378 Henty Highway, Haven via Horsham, Vic 3401
Contact:
Sue 0409 257 256 Di 0438 456 839
When:
Tuesday mornings (school terms), 10am –11.30am
Weekly cost:
Haven’s Bush Playgroup $3 (per family) weekly.
Bring:
Your own snack box and drink bottle. For bushwalk days or farm visits, bring gum boots, hats, rain coats (if needed) and backpacks.
Facebook:
Click here!
Haven’s Bush Playgroup provides something different for families. From playtime in the playground, arts and craft in the hall, to exploring in the bush (weather permitting). Local Farm Visits to see calves, chickens and horses. Teddy bear picnics, animal hunts, treasure hunts, bird watching, bug catching and lots more. Sports days are also great fun.
The families all join in when Di entertains the children with her guitar and favorite nursery rhymes.
The group welcomes new families to come along and join in – be prepared to get dirty. Check Facebook for upcoming events.
Haven Recreation Reserve
Address:
4376 Henty Highway, Haven Vic 3401
Contact:
Call Horsham Rural City Council Bookings on 53829777
The Haven Recreation Reserve is now managed by an Advisory Committee of the council whose role is to oversee management of the twenty-three acre reserve, the crown land in front of the school, the crown land where the hall is, and to work closely with the school and various user groups. The aim is to all work together to improve the area for the benefit of the community.
The Reserve consists of twelve state-of-the-art tennis courts all with excellent access and viewing; one concrete netball court; a fully fenced playground including lawns and sandpit; a fully irrigated and maintained soccer / hockey field; a network of stormwater harvesting wetlands, ponds and a storage dam; also a site for future sports oval with elevated viewing areas.
The Crown Land consists of the 60+ year old hall with outdoor paved area, electric BBQ’s, picnic tables and shade.
Anzac Park, is crown land in front of the school. It has a developing wayside stop with new public toilets; new picnic gazebo including local history boards; a network of pathways, landscaping and our Black Saturday commemorative time capsule. On Remembrance Day 2015 a WWI monument was dedicated to our community diggers; in 2016 an Irrigation Mural and history boards were launched; and in 2019 our Black Saturday Remembrance Rails were officially opened by the Governor of Victoria Hon Linda Dessau – a special place where padlocks can be attached in memory of someone or something special. During 2021 and 2022 our committee has been working with the council to develop this precinct into a lovely space that can be enjoyed by both the community and its many visitors.
The school has more than doubled in size since 2009 with current student numbers around 120-130. The school has daily access to the tennis courts, netball court, soccer / hockey field and the hall and will benefit greatly from the newly developed Anzac Park when it is completed.
The reserve is also surrounded by a network of bicycle / walking paths to allow the children to get to school and the reserve safely and is regularly used by the local families.
There is also a natural landlocked Bushland Reserve directly behind the reserve, which is full of birds and wildlife. The committee will be working towards developing this area into more wetlands and walking tracks for the community and its visitors to benefit from.
Playground
Address:
4376 Henty Highway, Haven Vic 3401
There is a great playground and sandpit for the children to play in – all fully fenced – with lots of lawn area for the children to run around in or maybe for a family game of cricket. There are shade sails over the play equipment, two free electric BBQ’s with picnic tables and seats available.
We encourage families to come along and enjoy the playground facilities because the area has been built for families to freely enjoy.