The Hunter Wetlands Centre has a suffered suspected arson attack overnight, which caused extensive damage to storage sheds and destroyed valuable equipment.
CEO Ken Bayliss said motion cameras, which were set up for feral pests, detected a group of men around the work sheds at 6.20pm on Monday.
Mr Bayliss said he arrived on site 10 minutes later to find the four sheds well alight.
"In the aftermath of all that, the sheds are gone," he said.
"All the gear, that included whipper snippers, chainsaws, two ride-on mowers, a Great Wall ute that I only just registered yesterday, a tractor, plus an aluminium boat.
"Absolutely extensive damage, it was unbelievable vandalism."
Seven fire trucks responded to the blaze, which was put out by 9pm.
Police said they are investigating the incident.
Mr Bayliss said he had no idea what the motive behind the attack could have been.
He said the centre had planned to reopen on Monday and the attack could not have come at a worse time.
"We're gutted, absolutely totally gutted," he said
"This place is totally run and managed by volunteers - and that sort of stuff we don't need."
"With the downturn with the virus running around we've been closed so we've had no income whatsoever, we still had expenditure, but no income, so I'm not quite sure where to from here."
