Memories of Harvey

01/06/2026

After a wild storm throughout the South West, it was a big day to clear fallen trees and start fence repairs for many Harvey district farmers. When you see the enormous weight of a grand old red gum tree on the ground, you wonder how an underground root system can keep that enormous weight standing for so long.

31/05/2026

Harvey when we were a progressive rural town.

28/05/2026

This photo is of the first plane to come to Harvey in 1919, landing in Barnes' paddock - Pilot Norman Brearley.

27/05/2026

The Harvey our ancestors loved and in our DNA.

It was a shock recently when six Harvey Shire Councillors voted to change the district's name from "Shire of Harvey" to "City of - " (name undecided). It still has to be approved by a higher authority but I think the shock more was that only three Councillors understand their ratepayers and voted against the change, but six Councillors have no idea what is important to local people.

24/05/2026

The Harvey Brunswick junior football teams joined the Bunbury football (BDJFA) competition from 1966. This photo is one of the local teams from around the late 1960s very kindly sent in by Shane Warburton.
L- R - Standing up back row - Bill Hammond, Bruce Offer, Bill Denham, George Wilkes, Brian Warburton, Ray Simpson, Des Henderson.
L- R - Standing up front row - Lui Rechichi, Richard Blechynden, Rodney Carlsson, Peter Roberts, Graeme Rob, Ernie Denham.
L- R - Kneeling down back row - John Degorya, Billy Nutley, David Ugle, Ralph Punch, Ron Punch.
L-R Kneeling down front row - Keith Offer, Bill Headley.

21/05/2026

The Southerners football team who were Premiers of the Harvey Brunswick Football Nippers Association in 1962. Were you a Nipper? Pictured is Coach Frank Papalia with the Southerners U/16s Nippers team.
Back Row: Alfie Bevan, Paddy Rossi, Don Headley, David Little, Greg Farrell, Robbie Grapes, Frank Papalia.
Middle Row: Murray Livingstone, Greg Livingstone, Jim McKecnie, Lyndon Rose, Gavin Livingstone, Tim Cummings.
Front Row: Ted Farrell, Jim Grieves, Kevin Moore, Bill Headley, Terry Treasure, Bruce Rose.
Photo can be zoomed in. It is from the Bev Dungey collection sent to State Library of WA.
[The Harvey Brunswick Nippers competition was formed in 1961. There were five teams of Under 15s. Competing teams were Burekup Southerners, Brunswick Towns, Brunswick Farmers, Harvey Tigers and Harvey Police Boys. In 1962 the Southerners team was split up and two teams were formed from the Burekup and Roelands districts namely Southerners and Roelands Mission. In 1962, the age was raised to Under 16s. Harvey Tigers withdrew from the competition in 1963. The following year in 1964 Yarloop joined the competition and Southerners and Mission teams combined again.}

20/05/2026

Preparing paddocks in the Harvey district around 120 years ago in the hope of rain coming.

17/05/2026

Autumn colours currently are bringing beauty to the Harvey district.

16/05/2026

13/05/2026

What was it that made you feel as being a part of the Harvey district and give a sense of belonging? To me it was the volunteers in our community back in the 1960s who encouraged us kids to participate in gymnastics, netball, badminton and other activities in the town. It was also the shopkeepers, whether it was the butchers or those who served us in Squires, Topham's, Cooks or the Co-op shop who called us by our Christian name and made us welcome and feel like we belonged here. Decades later, it is Tony Kruckenberg's photos which remind us that we always had a sense of belonging.