Bush Babes creation of May Gibbs May Gibbs arrived in Australia aboard the ship S.S Hesperus in 1881, at age of four. May's parents Herbert and Cecie Gibbs had left England to try their hand at farming in Australia. After landing in Adelaide, the young family settled on land one hundred kilometres to the north west of the city, only to be driven back to Adelaide by drought. Herbert and his brother George formed a partnership with Dr. Henry Harvey and John Young and took up land on the ‘Harvey Estate’ in Western Australia. Herbert, with son Bertie and Brother George sailed to ‘The Harvey’ in 1885, leaving Cecie to follow with May and Ivan. The family settled into life at ‘The Homestead’ on the fertile banks of the Harvey River and stayed on for two years. 
May Gibbs MBE - Self Portrait17.1.1877 - 27.11.1969The homestead was built when the Estate was owned by Governor Stirling– sometime in the early to mid 1800’s. Features of the cottage were its hexagonal shaped paving blocks and sheoak shingle roof with fruit trees surrounding the cottage. The kitchen was at the rear of the building and under a separate roof. The men’s quarters, stables and blacksmiths shop were located nearby. May along with brothers Bertie and Ivan would take long walks through the bush, turning over stones, examining flowers and bird nests and swimming in the river pools. As there was no school in the area, the children were given lessons by their mother at home. May displayed an early talent for drawing and was encouraged by her father, himself a talented artist. In later years May described her time in Harvey as “the two happiest years” of her life. In 1887, after struggling to run the farm at a profit, the Gibbs family moved to Perth. May’s Uncle George and new wife Ellen decided to stay on in Harvey. May spent many holidays at her Uncle George’s house – visiting her young cousins and wandering through the bush. May continued to visit at Harvey for many years, entertaining her young cousins with stories and caricatures. May went on to become one of Australia’s best-known and most loved Authors and her illustrations have charmed children for generations.
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