Woodman Point Quarantine Station

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Harrison

Station Families


Dorothy Eileen Harrison (nee Mitchell) Born Kent. UK 28th November 1914 Passed away Rockingham. WA 7th July 1998		Herbert Walter (Wally) Harrison Born Margate. UK 1st July 1911 Passed away Wannanup. WA 25th March 1984

Herbert Walter (Wally) Harrison :
Wally served in three navies, the Royal Navy during World War II with the rank of Petty Officer - Leading Cook. During this time he served on a number of vessels, including, H.M.S. Liverpool, H.M.S. Dido, H.M.S. Brilliant and the Royal Navy (Oberon Class) submarine, H.M.S. Orpheus, and this included nearly losing his life when the ship he was on was torpedoed on a Malta Convoy. He then had brief stint with the Royal Canadian Navy, before finishing his naval service career with Royal Australian Navy at the end the Korean War.



H.M.S. Orpheus	H.M.S. Brilliant. 1946	H.M.A.S Sydney


	Dorothy Eileen Mitchell : Dorothy was a nurse in the United Kingdom when she married Wally Harrison on the 12th July 1935, and they had three children in the UK, Pat, Ian and Trevor, and they had two more children, Penny and Jill, when they migrated to Australia 1949.

The whole family initially moved to Nowra in New South Wales, but then moved to Kwinana Beach in 1951, and later on to Carrington Street, Palmyra in Western Australia.
Wally served on the H.M.A.S. Sydney during the Korean War crisis, and left the Royal Australian Navy in 1962.
He joined the Quarantine Service in 1963 as 2nd in Charge, and it was then that the family resided at the quarantine station at Woodman Point.

Growing up at Woodman Point Quarantine Station - Happy Days.



Penny and Jill Harrison	L-R) Penny and Jill with Thelia Morris



Quarantine staff Children's Christmas Party. 1963 Penny and Jill Harrison are pictured ( back row, second and third from the left.)	Members of the Harrison and Marsh families c1960's, mending the fishing net.

Detention Centre C1980

Wally and Dorothy not only enjoyed the solitude of Woodman Point Quarantine Station and its popular activities, but also the close-knit family life that it had to offer, and socializing with other staff and families that resided on a working quarantine station. There were times when Dorothy became involved in the quarantine process and procedures herself, and she was employed to cook the meals for the detainees that were housed in the Detention Centre at that time.



Penny Harrison on her wedding day	Wally with his daughter Jill on her wedding day



Penny's wedding	Jill's wedding

In the photograph above, Wally Harrison can be seen ( middle row, first left ), and directly in front of the Officer in Charge, George Marsh,
Others shown in this group photo, are Dorothy Harrison, who can be seen (front row-third left) and the others include Woodman Point Quarantine Staff and family, and officials of the Western Australian Health Department.


	Wally and Dorothy had varied interests, Dorothy loved gardening, knitting and sewing, but especially, looking after, and feeding, the native wildlife. Wally, on the other hand, loved his fishing, reading WWII historical books and his goldfish.


	Herbert Walter Harrison retires from the Quarantine Service in 1976, and with his wife Dorothy move to Wannanup, a suburb that is situated south of the township of Mandurah, and is very popular for its location to fishing. Sadly, Wally passes away on the 25th March 1984.

After the death of her husband, Dorothy initially moves to Mandurah, however, to be closer to her family, she eventually moves to Rockingham. Her involvement with the rehabilitation of injured native wildlife continues, and she is especially remembered for looking after an injured owl that could not fly, and the love of her pet dogs that she had during her life, Skipper, Lassie, Emma, Susie and finally Simon.

Dorothy Eileen Harrison passes away on the 7th July 1998

Mandurah Sunset
Images and family history information kindly donated by the Harrison Family

Compiled by Earle Seubert

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