Snell’s Park

Snell’s Park is located within Harvey’s Railway Station Precinct and the town centre.

It is a popular resting point for visitors, with plenty of grass and shade and public toilets that are open during daylight hours.

The beautiful gardens boast several old roses, hundreds of bulbs, and brightly coloured garden beds. Within the Park, you will also find the historic CWA Building.

Snell’s Park regularly hosts events, like food markets and the famous Harvey Harvest Festival.

Nearby are an RV Dump Point and an electric vehicle charging station.

Early settlers lived in tents in this area before they managed to build or secure lodging. After WW II, this continued with families of the men working on the development of Harvey’s irrigation channels also seeking refuge.

The Snell’s Park was gifted to the Shire of Harvey in 1936 and named after Alf Snell, whose efforts first established its gardens.

Meet Alf Snell 1863 – 1936

The Railways employed Alfred (Alf) James Snell Snr. as District Traffic Superintendent from 1896 to 1911.

Born in Derbyshire, he trained in England on the Great Northern Railway before moving to Singapore for a position as traffic superintendent in 1890. He spent five years in Singapore before returning to London and then a year in New Zealand.

Snell Snr accepted a position with the West Australian Railway Department in Perth before being appointed the first Traffic Superintendent in the South West, stationed in Bunbury. Following his resignation from the Railways, Snell settled in Harvey on a citrus property he had purchased five years earlier on Harper Street, which he called Devonia after his home country of Devon, England.

He established the first mail-order produce business, a produce store, and a fruit case-making operation, all while managing several farming properties. Alfred was a great horticulturist and gardener.

Source: Harvey Waroona Mail, March 1936

Harvey CWA 1936

The Harvey Branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) had their first meeting in 1931, and established a Rest Room and Meeting Place on this site in 1936, with the building relocated from the South West.

Traditionally, CWAs in Western Australia were located next to train stations to provide travellers with amenities and refreshments.

In 1940, the restrooms were extended, and 42 members gathered to pack ‘camp comforts’ for servicemen.

Before Harvey obtained their own Infant Health Centre in 1954, a travelling Clinic Sister also used the CWA rooms.