 Settlers originally knew the lake as Hays Lake after D. Hay, an Australian who came to the district looking for sheep country in 1859.Its name gradually changed to Lake Hayes, as its discovery was credited erroneously to Captain "Bully" Hayes, an early local character of the district.Birdlife that can be seen on the lake include the introduced mallard, feral goose, the native New Zealand scaup, Australasian crested grebe and the black shag.