Break O’Day Farm & Travers Family Historic Site 1890s

In the early days of European settlement, the land south of Paris Road before coming to the Brunswick River was the home of the Travers Family, which they called Break O’Day Farm.

Francis (Frank) Travers Snr was born in County Galway, Ireland circa 1830, before arriving in Western Australia in 1856. Bringing trade skills to the district, he worked as a bootmaker at Australind from 1877 to 1899.

Frank established a homestead and dairy farm on the Brunswick River, where he settled for nearly 50 years with his wife Margaret and had eight children, two of whom sadly passed early. The homestead was located where the Australind Senior High School now stands.

Frank Snr died in 1910 and is buried in the Bunbury Pioneer Catholic Cemetery.

The farm was then managed by one of his sons, Francis (Frank) Jnr.

In later years, Frank’s son Michael (Mick) lived in a little old stone cottage on the farm on the Old Brunswick Road (now Paris Road). He is remembered fondly for selling lollies and cool drinks to the local children from the cottage after they spent time by the river.

Nearby Travers Drive and Break O’Day Drive are named in their honour.