A small parcel of land was cut off from Avon Location ‘V’ by the Standard Gauge Railway in the 1960s, rendering it virtually useless for farming. On 3 October 1999 a proposal was put to the owner to donate the land, waiving the encumbrance imposed by Shire rates. This proposal was taken up, and through due process was given to the as a reserve.

This land now bears the name of the donor’s family – Lloyd Reserve, and serves as the only remaining connection between the location and the family.

The land was vested with the Department of Environment (DoE, later Department of Water – DoW), and on 27 June 2003 a Management Agreement was reached between the DoE and the Toodyay Friends of the River (TFOR) to manage the reserve on their behalf.

In taking over management of the reserve there was an opportunity to develop a ‘seed orchard’ to serve the duel purpose of providing a future seed bank and for revegetation. Funding was sought, and the Toodyay Seed Orchard Group (now a sub-committee of the TFOR) set about establishing the orchard.

When the DoW was changed to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) and their Northam Office closed Lloyd Reserve – now ‘Crown Land’ – was vested with the Shire of Toodyay. The TFOR have a Management Agreement with the Shire to manage the reserve as they had previously.

The Bilya Walk Track traverses the northern side of the reserve, adjacent to the Avon River. A picnic table has been set up in the reserve, a great place for walkers to rest on their journey along the Bilya Track.