Harvey Diversion

The Digging of the Harvey Diversion

Quick Facts

1931 – 1935

• The digging of the 22km drain began in 1931.

• The Diversion provided jobs for 2,500 unemployed menduring the great depression.

• A survey party of 7 surveyed the route of diversion until June 1931.

• The first batch of 100 men arrived in Harvey by train on 31^st October 1931.

• By November 1931 there were 1,000 men in tents at Myalup Camp and 1,000 men further went to the Stonehouse camp.

• The sand section of the Diversion (about 12km) was dug by men shoveling sand into wheelbarrows and pushing them up the bank edge to be emptied.

• As the cut got deeper the men shoveled sand into carts pulled by horses.

• By December 1932 the 2,500 men with shovels had completed their work along the sand section of the Diversion course.

• The official opening of the Harvey Diversion was on 12^th August 1935.

The Harvey Diversion Enhancement Project

2006 – 2014

• The Harvey Diversion Enhancement Project held it’s forst meeting on 20th July 2006.

• Alex and Nicole Mickle were the artists employed to make and install the public artwork and interpretive shelter. David Marshall was the Project co-ordinator.

• The artwork is made from 190 shovels welded together in two seperate panels with 95 shovels in each panel. The shape of each panel represents the winding nature of the diversion from Harvey to the sea at Myalup.

• The offical opening of the public artwork and interpretive shelter was conducted on Saturday 8th March 2014.

• Shire of harvey President Tania Jackson and HDEP Chairman Cr. Brian Hollands officially unveiled the inturpretive shelter signage.

• A replica of a photograph taken on Uduc Road Bridge at the first official opening in 1935 was recreated at the 2014 offical opening.

• Recent additions since the 2014offical opening have included the completion of the Gabion wall, a stone aggregate hardstand area under the interpretive shelter, renewing of the footpath, painting of the bridge railing, new paintingd and landscaping and the addition of an offical opening plaque.