Jardup Farm Historic Site c1859 – 1890
Jardup settled in 1859, was one of the earliest farming properties developed in Harvey before it was reclaimed for the extension of the Harvey Dam in 2000.
Its earliest history is linked with two well–known Harvey pioneering families the Clarkes and the Suttons.
Ephraim Clarke arrived in the Harvey district in 1841, with his wife Sarah, and three children. Their first house, Hampden, was located on the original coast road. Ephraim Clarke ran an inn and was later overseer at the Bunbury Convict Depot.
In 1856, Ephraim bought 10 acres of land on the Harvey River. He left his son in charge of acres from the Crown to graze sheep and cattle, while also developing his home lot.
The first cottage built at Jardup for Ephraim and his family was demolished, but remnants of fruit trees and domestic plants survived as evidence of its existence.
Ephraim Clarke retired in 1890, selling Jardup to William Sutton. Sutton and his wife Florence built a new house on the property where they lived with their three daughters, Flossie, Alma and Janie.
It was a modest cottage, constructed of handmade clay bricks, which was subsequently lime wash. The original roof was timber shingles, which were later covered by sheets of corrugated iron.
The house had four rooms with lathe and plaster ceilings, timber skirting and door frames, and brick a fireplace with plain timber surrounds. The front of the house had a shady front verandah.
In 2000, the property, along with neighbouring Nicklup and Glentana, was inundated with water because of the expansion of the Stirling-Harvey Redevelopment Scheme.
Today, one causeway of Harvey Dam is named Jardup in the property’s honour.
Meet Janie Sutton
Lillian Jane Sutton (known as Janie) was born in 1910 and was the third daughter of William and Florence Sutton.
Janie commenced her education at Harvey School in 1917. After her father died in 1936, Janie and her mother moved to Perth while her sister Flossie Eames remained in Harvey.
In Perth, Janie devoted weekends to flying and qualified as a pilot, making her the only woman in Western Australia to hold a pilot’s licence during the late 1930s.
During World War II, she could not use her ability and qualifications in the Air Force but had to be content with serving as a wireless operator in the WAAAF.
Janie was a pilot in Civilian Airlines. After the war, she joined Airlines (WA) Ltd as an air hostess and also conducted a school for training pilots in Morse code.
Sadly, in 1949, Janie Sutton died of breast cancer at 39 years of age.
