Meet Sir James Stirling & The Harvey Estate

Sir James Stirling, the first Governor of Western Australia, held office from 1829 to 1838.

At the time of his appointment, he was permitted by the British Government to select 100,000 acres of land for himself in recognition of his exploration of the Swan River district. In 1837, Stirling wrote to the Surveyor-General, listing his claims and applying for a grant on the Brunswick and Corajecup or Korijekup (Harvey) Rivers.

Earlier that year, Stirling and a party of settlers explored what they called “the Southern Districts.” They went south via Williams as far as Kojonup; on their return, they crossed the hills and camped one night on the Brunswick River, then travelled north, reaching the Corajecup—Korijekup (Harvey) on 27 April 1837.

Impressed by the surrounding country, Stirling reserved a block of 61,000 acres. Although Stirling’s visit was the first time he had seen the Harvey district, several other exploring parties had passed through it before his visit. Collie and Preston discovered the mouth of the Harvey River as early as 1829 during their trip along the coast to Port Leschenault (Bunbury). Records do not indicate that Stirling revisited Harvey before leaving the Colony a little more than a year later.

In 1840, he sold the whole of this location to the West Australian Land Co, which was about to create the Australind settlement, but in 1852, 12,800 acres (Location 50A) on the Harvey River were transferred back to him.

At this period, it is on record that T.G. Chapman was the hut keeper on the Stirling estate. “Hut keeper” was the usual term for a man in charge of a flock of sheep at an outstation. During the 1850s and 1860s, settlement began to extend north from Bunbury to the Harvey district. In the 1860s, the management or lease of Stirling’s property was taken over by Thompson Logue, a member of one of the first families to settle in the area, including Cookernup. Thompson Logue lived on the property, and when it was sold, he received 1,000 pounds for the improvements he had made.

Stirling’s son, Commodore (later Vice-Admiral) F.H. Stirling, twice visited Western Australia while commanding the Australian squadron. On the second occasion, in 1874, he is said to have visited the Harvey estate.

Although Sir James Stirling died in 1865, the Harvey Estate was not sold until 1885, when it was purchased by the Harvey, Young & Gibbs syndicate at 10/6 ($1.05) per acre.