Our New Home "They Made Their Destiny" Staples, A.C. (1979) P. 416 The homesteads of the early pioneers were constructed of local materials, often timber slabs placed vertically side by side with a thatched roof. Such homesteads were later abandoned in favour of more substantial dwellings, typically of stone, sun-dried bricks, or limestone walls with corrugated iron roofs, which began appearing from the 60's onwards. During the 1860's Australind was still the centre of the Harvey District community. There was a School, Post Office and Store. It was not until well after the road along the foothills was completed that the Harvey townsite was established. 
A typical construction of an early settlers cottage. Note the upright slabs and shingle roof.Shire of Harvey 1895-1995 Proud to be 100. P. 57In the early years of settlement in the Harvey District, a rough track served the settlers along the coast by a route, which followed along the chain of lakes between Australind and Mandurah. As settlers moved further inland the main route became that which continued from Pinjarra to the Harvey Bridge at the head of the Harvey Estuary, and then down the Coast Road to Australind. In 1863, the road from Pinjarra to Brunswick and then down the Brunswick River to Australind was gazetted. Between 1864 and 1876, two parties of convicts were employed in making the road. The increased floating population provided a ready market for wheat and meat producers. It was during these years that wheat cultivation in the district reached its highest ever levels. Production steadily declined from the late 1970's. During much of the 1870's and 1880's, the State underwent a period of recession which was reflected in the Harvey District through settlers reverting to a subsistence level of farming based chiefly around dairying. The recession effectively halted the rapid expansion of the area under leasehold, which had occurred during the 60's. However, in the late 70's, the Government offered conditional purchase of 100 acre blocks on the basis of selection before survey. The effect of this new land acquisition scheme was most apparent in the North Harvey area, where it brought newcomers like Weeks, Aitken, Bancell, Eastcott, Bowles and Garlick. After 1883, no further land in the Harvey District was let on lease, although existing leases were permitted to run until about 1907. Land became available for acquisition on conditional purchase and thus each year increasing portions of the former leasehold was taken up by selectors averaging 100 - 250 acres. In 1886, 8,000 acres was purchased under the new plan, and by 1895, 20,000 acres had been selected. By the early 1880's the mail run had become permanently established along the foothills route which now continued through Brunswick, Roelands and Picton to Bunbury. The chief investor in the district during the 80's was a partnership of South Australians, who in 1884 purchased Stirling's Korijekup Estate on the Harvey River. The area along the foothills from south of Harvey to Brunswick also attracted added investment during the 1880's and among those to settle in the Wokalup/Benger area were Partridge, Fry, Wellard, McKay and Holley. The wealthy South Australian partnership which comprised Messrs. Young, Harvey and George and Herbert Gibbs outlaid substantial amounts of capital for stock and labour, but because of inexperience of local conditions their returns were disappointing. About 1890 the partnership was reorganised when Young retired, and the Gibbs brothers left to establish their own property. 
Early picture of Uduc Road facing east with the railway crossing in the distance.Shire of Harvey 1895-1995 Proud to be 100. P. 57Harvey was joined by Hayward and in an attempt to recoup some of their incurred losses, about 2,000 acres of the Estate south of Uduc Road was subdivided. The Scheme was largely unsuccessful and thus with the coming of the South Western Railway linking Perth to Bunbury in 1893, Harvey and Hayward surveyed the first town lots in the Harvey townsite.
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