Hawter’s Nursery Historic Site 1904
- 96 Young Street, Harvey WA 6220
- Open 24 Hours
Hawter’s Nursery Historic Site 1904
The homestead of one of Harvey’s inaugural and most influential citrus orchards once stood at this site.
Hawter’s Harvey Citrus Nursery employed at least 12 men, including Alfred Stanford Snr, Thomas Latch, and Dan Fielder, who, as managers, lived in a timber home within the orchard nursery.
Supporting the industry in Western Australia, citrus seedlings and young trees were budded, grafted and nurtured at the Nursery before rail transported them throughout the State.
Although there were other small plant nurseries established in Harvey over the years, by far the vast majority of the fruit trees planted in the area in the early years came from Hawter’s Nursery.
Hawter’s operated until about the late 1930s/early 1940s.
This house existed at this site until the 1990s.
Meet Jacob Hawter (Haueter)
One of the most influential nurserymen (citrus growers) in Western Australia was Harvey’s Jacob Hatwer.
Born in Diesback, Switzerland, Jacob Hawter started in the industry at an early age.
At only 19 years old, he began his career as a foreman horticulturist at Crystal Palace, London, with a staff of 49. Coming to Western Australia in 1882, he foresaw its latent possibilities.
In 1901 Jacob married Edith Miriam Long in Fremantle.
In 1904, he purchased 15 town lots in Harvey, totalling 30 acres and covering the area of the present Harvey District Hospital grounds and the Harvey Primary School oval. He already owned several established nurseries in the South West area which were always purchased close to railway lines for transport.
Jacob kept in touch with his training institutions in Paris and London, ordering seeds and vines through his contacts there.
Jacob Hawter was well-known for his generosity in assisting new fruit growers with advice on planting methods and orchard maintenance. He regularly spoke at meetings and gave demonstrations on tree-pruning.
Harvey Hisotry Online
In 1926, at the age of 64, he passed away in the Greenbushes Hospital. Many travelled from around the State to attend his funeral.